Pathways / Gear requirements / Wildland fire
Wildland fire PPE and boots for fireline medics
Fireline EMTs and paramedics show up to an assignment in the same gear as the crews they cover. The federal agencies publish the list; the boots are on you.
Informational only. The Red Book is the U.S. Wildland Fire Service and USDA Forest Service direction for their fire programs and managers. Federal fire personnel, including AD/EFF casual hires, follow its PPE list. Contractors follow the PPE clause in their own contract, and state agencies set their own rules, so check yours.
Required fireline PPE
- The Red Book is program direction for the two federal fire agencies and their managers.“provides fire and fire aviation program management direction for USWFS and USFS managers.” — Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations, 2026 (Red Book), Chapter 7: Safety and Risk Management, checked 2026-11-10.
- Everyone uses PPE suited to their duties and to the job hazard analysis or risk assessment for the work.“All personnel are required to use personal protective equipment (PPE) appropriate for their duties and/or as identified in JHAs/RAs.” — Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations, 2026 (Red Book), Chapter 7: Safety and Risk Management, checked 2026-11-10.
- Helmet with a chinstrap, certified to NFPA 1977.“Helmet with chinstrap; must be certified to NFPA 1977.” — Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations, 2026 (Red Book), Chapter 7: Safety and Risk Management, checked 2026-11-10.
- Long-sleeved flame-resistant shirt, yellow recommended, certified to NFPA 1977.“Long-sleeved, flame-resistant shirt (yellow recommended); must be certified to NFPA 1977.” — Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations, 2026 (Red Book), Chapter 7: Safety and Risk Management, checked 2026-11-10.
- Flame-resistant trousers certified to NFPA 1977.“Flame-resistant trousers; must be certified to NFPA 1977.” — Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations, 2026 (Red Book), Chapter 7: Safety and Risk Management, checked 2026-11-10.
- Leather or leather/flame-resistant gloves.“Leather or leather/flame-resistant combination gloves.” — Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations, 2026 (Red Book), Chapter 7: Safety and Risk Management, checked 2026-11-10.
- A fire shelter, model M-2002, to the Forest Service specification.“Fire shelter M-2002, Forest Service specification” — Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations, 2026 (Red Book), Chapter 7: Safety and Risk Management, checked 2026-11-10.
- Goggles or safety glasses where the job hazard analysis calls for them.“Goggles/safety glasses (as identified by JHAs/RAs)” — Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations, 2026 (Red Book), Chapter 7: Safety and Risk Management, checked 2026-11-10.
- Ear plugs or other hearing protection.“Ear plugs/hearing protection” — Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations, 2026 (Red Book), Chapter 7: Safety and Risk Management, checked 2026-11-10.
- Under the flame-resistant layer, natural-fiber, aramid or other flame-resistant undergarments.“Personnel should wear only undergarments made of 100 percent or the highest possible content of natural fibers, aramid, or other flame-resistant materials.” — Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations, 2026 (Red Book), Chapter 7: Safety and Risk Management, checked 2026-11-10.
The boot standard
- At least 8 inches high, lace-up, leather outside, with melt-resistant lug soles.“Personnel assigned to wildland fires must wear a minimum of 8-inch-high, lace-type, exterior-leather work boots with melt-resistant, lug soles.” — Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations, 2026 (Red Book), Chapter 7: Safety and Risk Management, checked 2026-11-10.
- Height is measured from the bottom of the heel to the top of the boot. Alaska is exempt from the lug-sole part.“The 8-inch height requirement is measured from the bottom of the boot heel to the top of the boot. Alaska is exempt from the lug sole requirement.” — Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations, 2026 (Red Book), Chapter 7: Safety and Risk Management, checked 2026-11-10.
- You buy the boots yourself before you start, including as an AD/EFF hire. The agencies have authorized a boot stipend; how it is paid is set by each agency.“will be purchased by the employee (including AD/EFF) prior to employment. The agencies have authorized payment of a boot stipend.” — Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations, 2026 (Red Book), Chapter 7: Safety and Risk Management, checked 2026-11-10.
NFPA 1977, NFPA 1950 and the label
- NFPA folded NFPA 1977 into a combined standard, NFPA 1950, for its 2025 edition.“for the 2025 edition, the NFPA 1977 standard was consolidated with two other standards (NFPA 1951 and NFPA 1999) resulting in a name change to NFPA 1950” — NWCG 6 Minutes for Safety — National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), checked 2026-11-10.
- Read the label: gear certified to the 2022 edition or earlier says NFPA 1977; gear certified to the 2025 edition says NFPA 1950 (1977).“must specify NFPA 1977 for items certified to the 2022 edition and before, or NFPA 1950 (1977) for items certified to the 2025 edition.” — NWCG 6 Minutes for Safety — National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), checked 2026-11-10.
- Gear certified to an older NFPA 1977 edition can still be worn. Wildland PPE has no shelf life, so inspect it instead.“Yes, those items met the requirements for certification at that time and there is no shelf life on wildland PPE.” — NWCG 6 Minutes for Safety — National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), checked 2026-11-10.
- A "flame-resistant" label is not the same thing. Clothing certified only to NFPA 2112 is built to a different standard that NWCG says does not apply to wildland firefighting.“Often these items are certified to NFPA 2112, a different standard that does not apply to wildland firefighting conditions.” — NWCG 6 Minutes for Safety — National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), checked 2026-11-10.
Keeping it in service
- Replace flame-resistant clothing once it is worn or faded enough to lose protection or visibility.“Flame-resistant clothing will be replaced when the fabric is so worn as to reduce the protection capability of the garment” — Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations, 2026 (Red Book), Chapter 7: Safety and Risk Management, checked 2026-11-10.
- No iron-on logos and no cutting down (stagging) your pants.“Any modification to PPE that reduces its protection capability, such as iron-on logos, and stagging of pants, is an unacceptable practice and will not be allowed.” — Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations, 2026 (Red Book), Chapter 7: Safety and Risk Management, checked 2026-11-10.
Our advice
- Fireline EMT (EMTF) and fireline paramedic (EMPF) are fireline positions, so plan around the fireline list above. Medical-unit paramedics in camp should ask the incident or their contractor what they need.
- Break boots in before the season. A new pair on day one of a 14-day assignment is a blister problem you will be treating on yourself.
- Ask your contractor which items they issue (shelter, helmet, shirts, trousers) and which you bring. Boots are almost always yours.
NFPA standard text is not reproduced here. We cite only what the federal agencies and NWCG publish about it. We do not recommend products or link to shops.
Career routes this applies to
Sources for this page
- Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations, 2026 (Red Book), Chapter 7: Safety and Risk Management U.S. Wildland Fire Service (Department of the Interior) and USDA Forest Service Checked November 10, 2026.
- NWCG 6 Minutes for Safety — National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) National Wildfire Coordinating Group Checked November 10, 2026.