FAQs for Wildland Firefighters
What does CDC recommend for wildland firefighting personnel who have been in close contact (less than 6 feet) with a person with suspected or confirmed COVID-19?
If wildfire personnel have direct personal contact with an individual with
suspected or confirmed COVID-19, they should take the following actions:

Immediately perform hand hygiene (i.e., use alcohol-based hand sanitizers with at least 60% alcohol or wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds).
Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth.
Clean and disinfect any clothing items or surfaces that were potentially exposed (coughed on, sneezed on, or exposed to body fluids) as soon as possible. 
Non-porous items can be disinfected using products that are EPA-approved for use against the virusexternal icon.
Porous items, like clothing and other reusable personal protective equipment (PPE), should be replaced as soon as possible. The potentially contaminated items should be laundered according to manufacturers’ recommendations using the warmest water available.
Gloves (e.g., nitrile or latex) should be worn when touching potentially contaminated items or applying disinfectants. Perform hand hygiene upon removing gloves or other PPE.



If personnel and resources are available, it is most protective for wildfire
personnel who were exposed to an individual with suspected or confirmed
COVID-19 to stay at home until 14 days after exposure if the exposure was
prolonged (10 minutes or more) or if the exposure was of concern (e.g., the
individual coughed or sneezed on the worker).
If personnel and resources are not available, wildfire personnel (considered
critical infrastructure workers) may be permitted to continue to
work after exposure to ensure continuity of operations. To continue working,
the exposed worker should be symptom-free, and the employer should use the
following prevention strategies:

Screen the exposed worker for symptoms of COVID-19 before each work shift.
Regularly monitor the exposed worker for symptoms, under the supervision of a qualified healthcare provider.
Ensure the exposed worker practices social distancing during his/her work shift by assigning tasks where he/she can still work but remain at least 6 feet away from others, if possible.
Ensure the exposed worker wears a facemask (or cloth face covering only if facemasks are unavailable) to protect others.

If an exposed worker develops symptoms of COVID-19 and is still working, the
employer should:

Provide a facemask for the worker to wear (if not already wearing one).
Send the worker to the medical unit, if available, for evaluation to determine if medical care is needed. If a medical unit is not available, encourage the worker to call a qualified medical provider for guidance.
Send the worker home if it is safe for the worker to travel and make sure the worker is wearing a facemask. If it is not safe for the worker to travel, isolate the worker from others on the crew and require the worker to wear a facemask.
Ensure the worker is provided with necessary supplies, including food, water, and hygiene items, while he/she is self-isolating.
Encourage the worker to follow CDC guidance for What to Do If You Are Sick.
Clean and disinfect any surfaces and areas the worker may have touched.
Follow CDC guidance to determine when the worker can return to work.