# The work of wildfire brigade members in the Amazon: what does ergonomic work analysis reveal?

## TL;DR

This study examines the work of Brazilian wildfire brigade members in the Amazon, highlighting the physical demands and risks they face, and proposes public health recommendations to improve their working conditions.

## Contribution

The study provides ergonomic insights and public health recommendations for wildfire brigade members in the Amazon.

## Key findings

- Wildfire brigade members experience high physical effort, fatigue, and injuries during fire suppression.
- Structural vulnerabilities in work organization and social protection persist despite their critical role.
- Public health recommendations are proposed to improve working conditions for wildfire brigades.

## Abstract

Heatwaves and prolonged droughts intensify and expand the occurrence of
forest fires. Wildfire brigade members play a crucial frontline role in fire
suppression.

To understand how Brazilian wildfire brigade members organize their work,
identify risks present in real work situations, and propose public health
recommendations.

This qualitative study was conducted using ergonomic work analysis and
primary data collection. The analysis included prescribed work,
nonsystematic observations of real work activities, and collective and
individual interviews with 20 temporary workers hired by federal
environmental agencies.

Wildfire brigade members play a central role in fire management, contributing
to the preservation of Amazonian biodiversity and sociobiodiversity. Real
work demands high physical effort during fire suppression, leading to
reports of fatigue, exhaustion, and injuries such as cuts and abrasions. The
main contradiction identified concerns access to firefighting areas, which
requires constant adjustments and regulations according to the conditions
encountered during actual work.

Despite the significant socioenvironmental value and strategic importance of
wildfire brigade members in responding to the climate crisis, structural
vulnerabilities remain in work organization and social protection. These
findings underscore the need for public policies that ensure decent working
conditions. Based on the ergonomic analysis, we present public health
recommendations applicable to wildfire brigade members across different
regions.