Ep. 616 Frontline Safety Working in Wildfire Conditions

Rancho Mesa’s Alyssa Burley and Client Technology Specialist, Brenda Colby sit down to talk about safe work practices in wildfire conditions.

Show Notes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to Rancho Mesa's Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, Wildfire Prevention and Wildfire Smoke Regulation Webinar

Host: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Alyssa Burley

Guest: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Brenda Colby

Editor: Megan Lockhart

Music: "Home" by JHS Pedals, “Breaking News Intro” by nem0production

© Copyright 2026. Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc. All rights reserved.

Transcript

Alyssa Burley: You’re listening to Rancho Mesa’s StudioOne™ podcast, where each week we break down complex insurance and safety topics to help your business thrive.  I’m your host, Alyssa Burley, and I’m joined by Brenda Colby, Client Technology Specialist with Rancho Mesa, and we’re going to talk about safe work practices in wildfire conditions.

Brenda, welcome to the show.

Brenda Colby: Happy to be here Alyssa.

AB: We’re happy to have you.

Now in San Diego, we’re no strangers to wildfires. The high summer temperatures and drier conditions can significantly increase wildfire risks in Southern California and across the country.

And in 2025, Cal-Fire, the state’s Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, responded to over 8-thousand wildfires which led to over half-a million acres burned and dozens of fatalities. And while Alaska and California had the most acres burn due to wildfires, this is an issue that affects many Western states.

And, these wildfires can affect people who aren’t directly in the path. So Brenda, what should employers know about wildfires and why do they need to be prepared to deal with the environmental conditions they cause?

BC: Well, lots of our clients work outdoors, doing landscaping and construction work and could potentially be exposed to unhealthy air conditions when a wildfire is burning. And that includes smoke containing harmful chemicals or fine particles, which can cause both short-term and long-term health problems. And even when the fire is burning miles away, the wind can move the smoke across the region and affect people who aren’t even near the flames. And, even after a wildfire has been extinguished, workers in the area can still be exposed to smoke in the air, and electrical hazards caused by power outages.

AB: Yeah, we’ve certainly experienced smoky air conditions in Southern California as a result of wildfires. So, awareness about the potential hazards in the air is key to keeping workers’ safe both during and after a wildfire.

Brenda, how can proper training and PPE help mitigate these risks?

BC: Well employers and supervisors should be trained on how to determine if PPE is required. Cal/OSHA states that employers are required to provide PPE if the Air Quality Index (or AQI) at the jobsite location is higher than 151.

AB: Right, and the AQI can be checked through a number of different sites including airnow.gov and the U.S. Forest Service.

BC: Yeah, and if the AQI is higher than 151, employers must either move the work to an area where the air quality is better, or provide adequate respiratory protections most commonly in the form of an N-95 mask.

AB: Okay, so how can organizations ensure they remain compliant with wildfire safety requirements?

BC: Well, specific training and PPE guidelines can be found on the California Department of Industrial Relations website. However, wildfire safety regulations may differ by region, so be sure to check individual state guidelines for clarification.

And, for additional safety information, you can register for Rancho Mesa’s Wildfire Prevention and Wildfire Smoke Regulations webinar on July 9th, from 2pm to 3pm Pacific Time.

AB: Great and we’ll put a link to register in the episode notes.

Brenda, if listeners have questions about accessing the wildfire safety resources, how can they get in contact with you?

BC: As always, clients can contact me at bcolby@ranchomesa.com or call me directly at (619) 486-6562.

AB: Alright, well Brenda, thank you for joining me in StudioOne.

BC: Thanks for having me.

AB: Thanks for tuning in to our latest episode produced by StudioOne. If you enjoyed what you heard, please share this episode and subscribe. For more insights like this, visit us at ranchomesa.com and subscribe to our weekly newsletter.