RENO PROBERT: For the first time, the United States Forest Service authorized the use of N-95 respirators for federal wildland firefighters. N-W-P-B’s Rachel Sun reports.

RACHEL SUN: For years, scientists have known that wildfire smoke is especially bad in the high doses that wildland firefighters are exposed to.  Heather Heward is a fire ecology instructor at the University of Idaho. She says new protective equipment can take a minute to gain traction in the field.
HEATHER HEWARD: “On the fire line, there are people that wear N95 masks when they are exposed to smoke. I would say it's definitely the exception more than it is the rule.”
SUN: Part of that is because respirators can be uncomfortable. It’s also because of workforce norms. 
Heward says when workers age up, they often re-evaluate those decisions.
HEWARD: “As they get 10, 15, especially 20 years in, they're having friends die of — of long-term illnesses. And it's — it’s terrifying.”
SUN: She says more research is needed to implement practices that can improve health outcomes for wildland fire personnel.
I’m Rachel Sun, reporting.