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Wildland firefighters’ respiratory health to be studied by UBC

Wildland firefighters’ respiratory health to be studied by UBC

After more than a decade of battling smoky wildfires in British Columbia, firefighters report significant physical tolls. In recent years, devastating fires across the province have exposed thousands of firefighters to smoke with minimal protection. New research now aims to understand the impact of these conditions on firefighters’ respiratory health.

CBC NEWS Canada 

Vancouver firefighters get $2.8M from city to procure gear free of cancer-causing chemicals.

Vancouver firefighters get $2.8M from city to procure gear free of cancer-causing chemicals.

Vancouver’s fire department is set to be the first in North America to provide gear free of cancer-causing chemicals, thanks to over $2.8 million in municipal funding. City council unanimously approved Vancouver Fire Rescue Services’ request to purchase bunker gear free of Per-and-Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), known as ‘forever chemicals’ linked to cancer.

BC CTV News – Vancouver

B.C. to open first-of-its-kind wildfire training, education centre in Kamloops.

B.C. to open first-of-its-kind wildfire training, education centre in Kamloops.

Kamloops will host North America’s first school for wildfire training and education, a collaboration between TRU and the BC Wildfire Service. The school will offer subjects from basic wildfire training to post-doctoral research, with credits applicable to undergraduate degrees. Program design begins this year, with training at existing facilities starting in 2025. A state-of-the-art building is planned, though costs are yet to be determined. Ralston expects the facility to attract students from B.C., Canada, and beyond.

Oak Bay News – Kamloops Wildfire Training