By Age 24, His Firefighting Days Had Cost Him Big

Joel Eisiminger had spent six years fighting wildfires in the rugged backcountry, enduring smoke, rashes, and exhaustion—until, at 24, his body suddenly gave out. In July 2024, while helping protect homes in Northern California, Eisiminger's face suddenly went slack. He ignored it at first, but he soon ended up in a hospital with a diagnosis: acute myeloid leukemia, a fast-moving cancer far more common in people twice his age. The likely culprit? Years of breathing toxic wildfire smoke, per the New York Times. Eisiminger, like thousands of other contract firefighters hired by private companies to reinforce government wildfire crews, faced a harsh reality: While state and federal firefighters are often covered for cancer as a presumed work hazard, contractors must prove their illness was job-related—an almost impossible task.

That left Eisiminger with mounting bills, no health insurance, and no guaranteed help from his employer or the government. Despite warnings from doctors, Eisiminger, once hooked by the camaraderie and adrenaline of the job, was determined to return. His battle spotlights the boom in private wildfire crews as climate change fuels fiercer fire seasons, as well as the gap in protections for those workers. Private contractors often rely on makeshift protection like bandannas instead of approved masks, with little formal guidance or support. After chemotherapy and a brutal round of setbacks, Eisiminger's workers' comp claim was denied. Family finances collapsed under the weight of medical debt. By the time he turned 26, he was planning a return to the fire line—this time in Alaska—despite everything his illness had cost him. More here.