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Air-purifying respiratory protection for wildland firefighters: current capabilities, limitations and research needs

Okrasa Małgorzata, Kucmin Łukasz, Kowalczyk Przemysław, Jonio Tomasz, Majchrzycka Katarzyna

Zeszyty Naukowe SGSP / Szkoła Główna Służby Pożarniczej

2025

Nr 95 (tom 1)

191--209

The increasing frequency and intensity of wildland fires, driven by climate change and expanding human activity, expose firefighters to complex mixtures of harmful smoke constituents. Inhalation hazards include fine particulates, carbon monoxide (CO), aldehydes, volatile organic compounds, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, many of which exceed recommended occupational exposure limits. While Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) provides reliable protection, the weight and limited service life restrict their routine use in wildland firefighting. Air-purifying respirators (APRs) offer a lighter alternative; however, their protective capacity is uneven. APRs equipped with P2/P3 filters and A-type cartridges effectively reduce particulate and selected organic vapour exposure, yet they offer no protection against CO and have limited sorption capacity for lowmolecular- weight aldehydes and light VOCs. Despite these limitations, APRs remain appealing for certain operational phases, such as mop-up or residual smouldering suppression, where exposure levels are lower and prolonged use is required. Current research gaps include the absence of harmonised test protocols that simulate multipollutant wildfire smoke atmospheres and insufficient long-term epidemiological data. Future work should focus on the development of novel filter media, hybrid filtration systems, and wildfire-specific testing methodologies, complemented by training and awareness-raising among firefighters. Advancing these areas is crucial for bridging regulatory frameworks, laboratory testing, and field practice to ensure effective respiratory protection in increasingly severe wildfire scenarios.