Forest Service reverses decadeslong ban, allows wildfire firefighters to use N95 masks

LOS ANGELES — The U.S. Forest Service has announced it is reversing a ban on federal firefighters wearing masks, and will give crews protective N95s as they battle increasingly intense fires across the nation.

For decades, the agency argued their use made firefighters vulnerable to heat exhaustion.

Other wildfire-prone nations, such as Canada, Greece and Australia, provide their firefighters with masks to prevent lung damage and smoke-related diseases, including cancer and organ failure — and have not seen increases in heat stroke among the crews.

The policy will have little bearing on local and regional urban firefighters, such as those in Los Angeles and Los Angeles County.

“We are actually encouraged to wear them,” said Jonathan Torres, engineer and spokesman for the Los Angeles Cou