LOS ANGELES — Maria Salinas continued harvesting grapes in Sonoma County amidst wildfires in 2020, enduring blackened saliva and hazardous smoke inhalation. Despite being rushed to the emergency room, she returned to work as the fires persisted, driven by necessity.
The impact of climate change on wildfires globally has placed farmworkers at high risk of air pollution exposure, as evidenced by a recent study focusing on Sonoma County. The study highlights deficiencies in protective measures for farmworkers during wildfires.
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Recommendations to safeguard farmworkers’ health include air quality monitoring at work sites, stricter employer requirements, emergency plans, multilingual training, post-exposure health screenings, and hazard pay.
Farmworkers face significant pressure to work in unsafe conditions due to financial necessity, vulnerability, and lack of support. Despite the risks, many continued working during wildfires in Sonoma County, often in hazardous zones.
A lack of post-exposure monitoring and clear standards in the county’s Agricultural Pass program further exacerbate the health risks faced by farmworkers. Symptoms of exposure to wildfire smoke can lead to various respiratory and cardiovascular health issues, especially when paired with extreme heat.
Anayeli Guzmán, another farmworker who worked during the Sonoma County fires, experienced fatigue and burning sensations from the smoke and ash, highlighting the lack of access to post-exposure health check-ups due to financial constraints.
Guzmán’s experience reflects a broader issue in the agricultural sector, where fewer than 1 in 5 farmworkers have employer-based health coverage. The webinar emphasized the need for greater awareness and protection of farmworkers’ health amidst worsening wildfire conditions.
