Eli5: why do firefighters wear oxygen masks when fighting a building fire, but often not in a wildfire? You’re still breathing in smoke…
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I fought forest fires. A few things.
You’re hiking into wilderness, so you don’t want to carry heavy stuff.
You’re usually a ways from any major flames, cutting fire lines, clearing brush, etc.
You’re outside, so smoke it much less dense and contained. Fires make their own weather, so it’s often windy to dissipate smoke.
A lot of time is spent “hot spotting” to make sure the fire isn’t still burning underground. So there’s little smoke during all that time.
Most simply wear a bandana as a filter.
You do end up blowing soot out your nose for several days after.
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