‘Unhealthy’ air quality expected in eastern Minnesota through Monday afternoon due to wildfire smoke

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The physical demands of working 14 hour shifts in extremely hot conditions can take a real toll on the bodies of firefighters working to contain the wildfires that continue to burn in northeast Minnesota. So U.S. Forest Service officials say they place a serious emphasis on the hydration and nutritional needs of crew members. 

“It certainly taxes the body, especially when we're in the month of July,” said Nick Petrack, fire staff officer for the Superior and Chippewa National Forests during a media briefing in Ely Friday. “Taking care of themselves is a message that we stress on a daily basis. [There’s] a lot of weight [loss], a lot of sweating, [so] good healthy diets and hydration really gets that person through a long shift.”

Many of the firefighters battling the blazes in and around the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness have come from other states. As of Friday, officials said there were close to 1,200 firefighters and other personnel working on the fires, and many of them have been working on other fires around the country since spring and will continue the arduous work either here or elsewhere into mid to late fall.

Petrack calls the fire season a “marathon,” but says most Forest Service firefighters are very well trained to deal with extreme temperatures, humidity and smoke, and they have proper protective equipment.

But Petrack just as important as having the right gear is having  proper nourishment to feed the body to endure the grueling days and nights.

So the Forest Service has a specialist called a food unit leader, who plans and prepares a healthy diet for fire crews in the camps they set up in areas close to where they stage to prepare for their firefighting shifts.

“They figure out exactly how many calories our firefighters need in order to endure the strenuous conditions, based on how long they work,” Petrack said. “So. …it’s not something that we just take lightly by any means.”

“We have to make sure the calorie intake is there, that they're getting fed a proper diet instead of just, you know, going to a gas station eating Snickers bars. That's not going to really make for a long shift,” he added. 

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Working long, intense shifts in extremely hot conditions battling the wildfires in northeast Minnesota can take a physical toll on firefighters. The Forest Service emphasizes getting adequate sleep, hydration, and it even has a nutrition specialist on site to ensure firefighters get the proper diet they need to endure the strenuous conditions.

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Fueling firefighters who combat NE Minnesota wildfires requires proper nutritional prep

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