Risk Perception of Military Firefighters and Brigades in Relation to Exposure to Smoke from Forest Fires in Brazil

Firefighters and forest brigades engaged in wildfire suppression are routinely exposed to smoke containing toxic compounds that pose acute and chronic health risks, and it is important to understand how they perceive these risks during their work. This study aimed to evaluate health risk perception among military firefighters and contracted forest brigades in the Federal District, Brazil, the use of respiratory protection equipment (RPE), and institutional support. A questionnaire was administered to 150 firefighters and 22 brigades in 2023 and 2024. Most respondents were between 30 and 40 years old, with firefighters having a significantly higher education level than brigades (p < 0.0001). Most were concerned about smoke exposure and recognized its high health risk, including respiratory diseases and cancer, with brigades showing a higher risk perception than firefighters (p < 0.0001). Despite this high perceived risk, about 80% of firefighters and 86% of brigades reported not using RPE, mainly because it was not provided by their institutions (according to 53.8% of firefighters and 73.7% of brigades). The level of concern about wildfire smoke among participants correlated positively with age, years of experience, perceived necessity of RPE, and willingness to use it if provided. Firefighters rated their institution's performance on occupational health and safety significantly less positively than brigades (p < 0.0001). The results of this study demonstrated that the lack of preventive and protective practices is not due to low risk perception, but rather to institutional failures in guidance, support, and provision of RPE.