September 10, 2025 2:50 a.m. 

On Tuesday, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley led a group of colleagues including Senator Ron Wyden, in demanding that the Trump Administration ensure federal wildland firefighters are adequately protected from wildfire smoke as they risk their lives to protect the American people and our public lands.

In a letter to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Labor Secretary Lori-Chavez-DeRemer, the senators wrote, “Every day, wildland firefighters risk their lives to combat wildfire and keep us safe from longer and more extreme fire seasons. This often requires multiple days and weeks – and sometimes months – being exposed to the smoke and other products of combustion generated from these fires”. The senators said, “Experts have clearly stated that ‘there is no safe level of exposure to wildfire smoke’. In fact, compared to regular air pollution, wildfire smoke is approximately 10 times as toxic, and breathing it in can cause a wide range of negative health outcomes”  The letter said, “Keeping wildland firefighters safe from – not just wildfires – but also the effects of smoke exposure is vital to ensuring this workforce can continue to keep us safe”.

A release said the Senator’s letter follows a recent report from The New York Times that spotlighted how wildland firefighters are increasingly falling ill due to wildfire smoke exposure, facing increased rates of cardiovascular and lung issues, cancer and premature death.

The Senators directed the Trump Administration to respond to their letter by no later than September 30th.