Protecting Our Own: Firefighter Health and the Changing Rural Landscape

Rob Beeson
Mar 2
2 min read

✅ TAKEAWAY: As wildfires become more frequent and complex, we must ensure the firefighters who protect our moorland heritage receive the same world-class health monitoring and legal recognition as their international counterparts.

A recent study by researchers at the University of Stirling and Queen Mary’s University London sheds light on a growing concern: the health risks faced by our brave firefighters.

The paper argues that the UK is falling behind international standards in how it recognizes and monitors occupational diseases in firefighters.

The Changing Nature of Rural Fire Risk

The traditional image of a fire is changing. Modern fires - especially those involving vehicles or housing near rural fringes - release a cocktail of man-made chemicals.

Of particular concern to moorland managers is the rise in wildfires. The study notes that:

Heat-related deaths have increased by 23% worldwide since the 1990s.
In 2024 alone, wildfire smoke was linked to an estimated 154,000 deaths globally due to fine particle pollution (PM 2.5).
Even a single wildfire incident can be enough to impact kidney function in firefighters.

A Gap in Recognition

The paper highlights a significant "mismatch" in the UK. While organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) now classify firefighting as "carcinogenic to humans," the UK’s current legal system makes it very difficult for firefighters to receive recognition or compensation for work-related illnesses.

Currently, the UK uses a "doubling of risk" rule. This means a disease is often only recognized if firefighting makes you twice as likely to get it compared to the general public. The authors argue this is an arbitrary bar that ignores the "toxic load" firefighters carry.

In contrast, many parts of the US, Canada, and Australia have "presumptive" laws - if a firefighter gets a specific illness, it is assumed to be work-related unless proven otherwise.

Why This Matters for the Moorlands

As stewards of the land, we know that a healthy rural community relies on robust support services. Several points in the research are especially relevant to moorland management:

New Risks from "Green" Tech: Fires involving lithium batteries (from electric vehicles or storage farms) release dangerous compounds like hydrogen fluoride. As we adopt new technologies in rural areas, our firefighters face more complex exposures.
An Aging Workforce: With a declining and aging workforce in many rural brigades, older firefighters may be attending incidents for longer durations, increasing their cumulative exposure to contaminants.
Supporting Women in the Service: The study points out that the UK system often overlooks cancers specific to female firefighters, such as breast or cervical cancer, which are recognized in other countries.

A Call for Better Stewardship of Health

The Moorland Association believes in the value of tradition and the importance of looking after our own. The researchers suggest that the UK should adopt "gold-standard" health monitoring, similar to schemes used in Australia. This includes:

Medical monitoring on-scene at major incidents.
Regular, voluntary health screening to catch illnesses early.
Better cleaning and decontamination of gear (PPE) to ensure toxins aren't brought home or back to the station.

By improving how we track the health of our firefighters, we can better protect the people who protect our hills.

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