Two-week work cycles. Shifts that can last up to 18 hours. Sleeping in tents or gymnasiums far from home. Dangerous and unpredictable work environments.
Those are the working conditions for many wildland firefighters across the country as Canada contends with a record wildfire season.
With climate change expected to worsen wildfires in the future, some firefighters say gruelling labour conditions and associated mental health challenges are taking a toll on the workforce.
害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 no question that we are seeing burnout,害羞草研究所� said Steve Lemon, safety and well-being officer with the BC Wildfire Service.
Officials have called this wildfire season unprecedented, with more than 137,000 square kilometres of land scorched to date 害羞草研究所� more than six times the 10-year average. Tens of thousands have had to flee their communities under evacuation orders, homes and businesses have been destroyed, and four wildland firefighters have been killed on the job this season.
There害羞草研究所檚 little doubt this year害羞草研究所檚 wildfires and the efforts to fight them are affecting firefighters害羞草研究所� mental health, said Lemon.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檝e been engaged pretty full on since the beginning of May really, without any respite,害羞草研究所� he said.
害羞草研究所淭he length of the fire season, the intensity, the long-term drought that we害羞草研究所檝e been experiencing, that all leads to more complex fires, bigger fires. Those will all undoubtedly have an impact on people.害羞草研究所�
The BC Wildfire Service used to respond largely to seasonal wildfires but has slowly been expanding into a year-round agency helping with other natural disasters, like floods and landslides, said Lemon.
That害羞草研究所檚 weighing on the service害羞草研究所檚 approximately 700 full-time staff, who would typically take advantage of the off-season to rest and recover, he said.
Alex Lane, a firefighter with the service who is also a master害羞草研究所檚 student in psychology, is researching the mental health outcomes of wildland firefighters and support staff in B.C. and says there害羞草研究所檚 a clear need to pay attention to firefighters害羞草研究所� mental health.
害羞草研究所淚t was something that I struggled with throughout my career,害羞草研究所� she said.
The BC Wildfire Service offers mental health supports that include a 24/7 dedicated counselling line and has seen those programs get increased use in recent years, said Lane.
It has also seen 害羞草研究所渁 lot害羞草研究所� of psychological injuries and workers taking time off due to psychological health issues since the service began tracking those numbers in 2021, she said.
The BC Wildfire Service relies heavily on seasonal personnel during wildfire season, employing 1,600 seasonal workers each year 害羞草研究所� a third of those are students on summer break.
Paul Finch, treasurer of the BC General Employees害羞草研究所� Union that represents nearly 2,000 employees with the B.C. fire service, said earlier starts to the fire season mean some part-time firefighters are being rushed into the field or placed in roles that should require more experience and training.
害羞草研究所淚t means that decisions can be made that prolong the fire or allow it to burn over a broader area, and we害羞草研究所檝e seen that happen,害羞草研究所� he said.
Seasoned, full-time wildland firefighters are being paid at 害羞草研究所渢he lowest rung in government,害羞草研究所� Finch said, with wages starting at $26 per hour. That害羞草研究所檚 causing some veterans to leave for the private sector or other careers, while holding others back from considering wildland firefighting as a long-term career option, he said.
害羞草研究所淭hey can害羞草研究所檛 sustain raising a family and retiring at a decent time,害羞草研究所� said Finch, noting that all those factors add to the mental load on wildland firefighters.
David Greer, director of strategic engagement at the BC Wildfire Service, said the service害羞草研究所檚 staff complement is being re-evaluated given the new reality of fire seasons. More than 100 crew members were converted to full-time employees this year.
害羞草研究所淲e would like to see less turnover for certain and that is why we have placed a focus on employee health and wellness, learning and development, and more full-time opportunities with career pathing,害羞草研究所� said Greer.
A study into mental disorders among firefighters deployed to the fire that ravaged Fort McMurray, Alta., in 2016 found 40 per cent met the criteria for post traumatic stress disorder, 30 per cent for anxiety disorder, and 28.5 per cent for depressive disorder. The study looked at all types of firefighters, not just those focused on wildfires.
Ken McMullen, president of the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs, said volunteer firefighters with municipal services are increasingly being called upon during wildfire season and many of them are volunteers.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 just not a sustainable model to rely on volunteers for three months of straight (wildfire) activity,害羞草研究所� he said.
The association is lobbying the federal government for an increase to the tax incentive for volunteer firefighters, as well as greater funding for mental health supports and specialty equipment, McMullen said.
Those in the field of wildland firefighting say the public can also play a role in diminishing the strain on firefighters.
Beyond taking precautions not to start wildfires, Canadians should be conscious of their comments online, said Lemon, with the BC Wildfire Service.
害羞草研究所淲e tend to get beat up pretty heavily by the public who don害羞草研究所檛 necessarily understand the complexity of the work that we害羞草研究所檙e doing, so we害羞草研究所檙e often accused of not doing enough,害羞草研究所� he said.
害羞草研究所淜indness on social media in support of our people, of our workers, it is an incredibly meaningful thing.害羞草研究所�
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