The Problem
Wildfire fighters are excluded from the firefighter classification in the National Occupational Classification (NOC) for no clear reason, and that lack of recognition has real consequences for status, supports, and even immigration pathways.
At the same time, they are regularly exposed to toxic smoke, hazardous chemicals, extreme heat, and traumatic events that significantly increase their risks of cancer, cardiovascular disease, respiratory illness, and mental health injuries.
This needs to change. Canada needs to recognize wildland firefighters as firefighters, and winning the health, safety, and mental-health protections they deserve.
Why it matters
Climate change is driving more frequent and more severe wildfires. That is increasing strain on public services and making many jobs far more dangerous, especially for those who confront disasters directly.
Wildland firefighters face:
- Dangerous physical conditions – toxic smoke, hazardous chemicals, extreme heat, and unpredictable fire behaviour.
- Psychological trauma and cumulative stress – repeated exposure to evacuations, destroyed communities, and near misses, with real risk of mental injury.
- Gaps in recognition and support – including exclusion from the firefighter classification in the NOC, which can affect immigration, recognition of skills, and the policy attention their work receives.
There are still serious barriers for workers suffering psychological injuries, especially in high-risk occupations like emergency response. In many places, it is difficult to get recognition, diagnosis, and compensation for occupational mental injuries, particularly when the harm builds up over time from repeated exposure to stress and trauma.
As fires get worse and seasons get longer, leaving wildland firefighters under-recognized and under-protected is no longer acceptable.
What we’re calling for
This campaign calls on federal, provincial, and territorial governments to take concrete steps to protect wildland firefighters and recognize the realities of their work.
1. Recognize wildland firefighters as firefighters
- Update the National Occupational Classification (NOC) to include wildfire fighters in the firefighter classification.
- Ensure that this recognition flows through to immigration pathways, training standards, and how their work is valued and supported in policy and practice.
2. Strengthen health and safety protections tailored to wildfire risks
- Develop and fund occupational health programs tailored to the specific risks faced by firefighters, including those who fight wildfires.
- Guarantee access to appropriate PPE, safe rotation policies, rest periods, and heat-stress protections during wildfire seasons.
3. Recognize firefighters as a high-risk group in preventative health care
- Have the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care recognize firefighters as a high-risk occupational group for disease, including cancers, cardiovascular conditions, respiratory illnesses, and mental health disorders.
- Introduce enhanced preventative screening guidelines for firefighters, including earlier and more frequent testing, and ensure these are implemented and funded across jurisdictions where wildland firefighters work.
4. Ensure presumptive coverage for psychological and mental injury
- Adopt common pan-Canadian standards of presumptive legislation so that workers suffering mental injuries because of their work, including wildland firefighters, are covered—regardless of sector or province.
- Cover all scientifically recognized types of mental injury, including chronic conditions that develop gradually from repeated exposure to traumatic or stressful situations, not just single critical incidents.
- Allow diagnoses from general practitioners and a wider range of health professionals, not only specialists, to reduce delays and barriers in accessing treatment and compensation.
5. Integrate wildland firefighters into climate and emergency planning
- Embed wildland firefighters’ perspectives into climate-adaptation and emergency-preparedness plans, recognizing the central role public services play “from fighting fires to health care to providing education and training.”
- Invest in staffing levels, training, equipment, and support as part of broader climate and disaster-response strategies, so the workers on the front lines of the climate crisis are protected and not left behind.
