The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of wildland firefighting on measures of cardiovascular health. The study was carried out in two parts. Part one assessed relationships between years of wildland firefighting and cardiovascular variables (n = 28). Part two looked at cardiovascular variables pre and post a wildland firefighting season (n = 18). Independent of age, a statistically significant relationship between number of seasons firefighting and VO2max was found (r2=.140, p=.048). A statistically significant reduction in VO2max of -4.1 ± 5.7 ml·kg-1 min-1 was witnessed following fire season (95%CI=-6.9 to -1.3, p=.048). Year to date hazard pay was significantly correlated with ankle-brachial index (r=-.474, p=.040). Wildland firefighters who reported >640 h of hazard pay had a greater VO2max reduction than those reporting less hazard pay (-1.7 ± 5.7 ml·kg-1·min-1 vs. -7.1 ± 4.3 ml·kg-1·min-1, p=.037). Wildland firefighting may negatively impact cardiorespiratory fitness and arterial health.
Keywords: Smoke exposure; VO2max; blood pressure; pulse wave velocity.