BOISE, Idaho — With a potentially ferocious wildfire season threatening to ignite across the western U.S., a push is on to persuade wildland firefighters to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Republican Idaho Gov. Brad Little said Tuesday that lives could be lost if frontline firefighters get sidelined with the illness. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management held a virtual town hall last week that included an emergency room doctor urging crews to get the vaccine.
At least two states, Texas and Alaska, are requiring firefighters to get a rapid test for the coronavirus before being allowed into the state to fight fires.
