Wildfire smoke exposure is increasing in frequency and intensity, presenting health risks to workers. After the historic 2020 wildfires, L&I received and accepted a petition for rulemaking on this topic. In December, 2023, L&I adopted permanent workplace safety and health rules to address exposures to PM_2.5, the tiny particles in wildfire smoke.

These tiny particles can reach the deepest parts of the lungs, causing serious health problems. PM_2.5 is particularly dangerous for people who work outdoor jobs like construction, agriculture, and certain other industries. When they breathe in the tiny particles in smoke, it increases the risk of reduced lung function, aggravated asthma, heart failure, and even early death.

To address the hazard presented by wildfire smoke, the permanent wildfire smoke rules require employers to prepare and implement a plan to protect workers from wildfire smoke.

On December 14, 2023, L&I filed the Permanent Rulemaking (CR-103P) for this rulemaking. L&I added agriculture-specific requirements into Chapter 296-307 WAC and created Chapter 296-820 WAC, Wildfire Smoke, for all other industries. These rules became effective on January 15, 2024.

The wildfire smoke rules require employers to implement protective measures based on the current concentration of PM_2.5 measured in micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m³). The AQI is a unitless index created by the EPA to communicate air quality conditions to the public. The EPA changed the Air Quality Index (AQI) breakpoints on May 6, 2024. While the rules are based on hourly average PM_2.5 concentrations, employers are allowed to use the approximate corresponding AQI values for the ease of compliance with the requirements in the rules.

The proposed language was originally filed as a CR-105 (expedited rulemaking), WSR 24-11-143 on May 21, 2024. L&I received a timely objection to that expedited rulemaking filing, requiring L&I to file a CR-102 (proposed rulemaking) and engage in the standard rulemaking process under the Administrative Procedure Act.

For more details on what is required, see the "Rule Drafts & Documents" section of this page.

Public Hearing

December 4, 2024
Pre-Hearing 10:30 a.m.
Hearing 11:00 a.m.
Virtual via Zoom

Previous meetings 

Open the links to see notes and information from the meeting. 

Public hearing materials

• July, 2023 Public Hearings Presentation
  • July, 2023 Public Hearings Presentation Spanish

Stakeholder Meetings

• October 13,  2022, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (Virtual only)
  • Q&A from Wildfire Smoke Stakeholder Meeting – October 13, 2022
• October 7, 2022, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (In-person Tukwila)
• October 6, 2022, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (In-person Yakima)
• October 4, 2022, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (In-person Spokane)
• August 10, 2022, virtual
  • Q&A from Wildfire Smoke Stakeholder Meeting - August 10, 2022
  • Stakeholder Meeting Presentation, August 2022
    • Presentación de la reunión de partes interesadas, agosto de 2022 (Spanish version)
• April 27, 2022, virtual
  • Q&A from Wildlife Smoke Stakeholder Meeting, April 27, 2022
    • Reunión de organizaciones interesadas sobre el humo de incendios forestales
  • Stakeholder Meeting Presentation, April 2022
    • Stakeholder Meeting Presentation, April 2022 - Spanish version
    • Собрание заинтересованных сторон по проблеме задымления от лесных пожаров (Russian version)
• January 27, 2022 1:15 pm to 4:00 pm, virtual
  • WA Dept of Ecology: Trends and Effects of Wildfire Smoke In Washington 
  • Wildfire Health Threats: Risk Factors for Outdoor Workers
    • Amenazas a la salud a causa de los incendios forestales: Factores de riesgo para personas que trabajan al aire libre (Spanish version)
• Background, Timeline, and Meeting Expectations
  • Tendencia y efectos del humo de incendios forestales en Washington (Spanish version)
  • Reunión de las partes interesadas sobre el humo de los incendios forestales
• June 18, 2021 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. virtual 
• April 20, 2021, virtual
  
  • Stakeholder meeting Presentation, April 2021
    • Stakeholder meeting Presentation, April 2021 (Spanish)
  • April 2021 FAQ
    • April 2021 FAQ (Spanish)
• March 25, 2021, virtual
  • Stakeholder meeting Presentation, March 2021
    • Stakeholder meeting Presentation, March 2021 (Spanish)
• January 21 and February 11, 2021
  • Wildfire Smoke Emergency Rule January/February 2021 Stakeholder Meeting (English/Spanish)
    • Wildfire Smoke Emergency Rule January/February 2021 Stakeholder Meeting (Russian)
  • Wildfire Intro (English/Spanish)

EPA AQI Alignment Rulemaking

Proposed Rulemaking

• CR-102 Proposed Rulemaking ​Filed October 17, 2024​
• CR-102 Proposed Rule Language

Expedited Rulemaking

• CR-105 Expedited Rulemaking Filed May 21, 2024
• CR-105 Proposed Rule Language
  • Lenguaje de la regla propuesta acelerada (Spanish version)

Adopted permanent rule documents

Filed December 14, 2023 and effective January 15, 2024.

• Chapter 296-307 WAC & Chapter 296-820 WAC Wildfire Smoke Permanent Language
• CR-103P Permanent Rulemaking
• Final Cost-Benefit Analysis
• Concise Explanatory Statement
  Note: The Concise Explanatory Statement includes a summary of all written stakeholder comments received during the public comment period and L&I responses to each comment.

Proposed permanent rule documents

Filed May 10, 2023; comments were due by 5:00 p.m. on August 4, 2023.

• CR-102 Proposed Rulemaking
• CR-102 Proposed Rule Language
  • Capítulo 296-820 del WAC (Spanish translation of Proposed 296-820)
  • WAC 296-307-098 Humo de incendios forestales (Spanish translation of Proposed 296-307-098)
• Small Business Economic Impact Statement memo
• Preliminary Cost Benefit Analysis
• Proposed Wildfire Smoke Rulemaking Fact Sheet (F417-302-000)
  • Norma propuesta sobre el humo de incendios forestales (Spanish version - F417-302-999)

Emergency rule - 2022

• Emergency Rule, Effective June 15, 2022 through September 29, 2022
• Draft Emergency Rule
  • Draft Emergency Rule - Spanish
  • Draft Emergency Rule - Russian

Emergency rule - 2021

• Emergency Rule Language filed July 16, 2021 and effective from July 16, 2021 through November 13, 2021
  • Emergency rule language, Spanish translation

Stakeholder drafts

Draft Rule, October 2022

• Draft Rule, October, 2022 (with track changes)
• WAC 296-62-85P Humo de incendios forestales (Spanish translation)

Wildfire Smoke Rule Draft June 15, 2021

Wildfire Smoke Rule Draft - Spanish

The Preproposal (CR-101) was filed October 20, 2020. 

Adopted permanent rule feedback response

• Concise Explanatory Statement

September 2022 draft rule language - Stakeholder feedback

• Angela Schauer Feedback 10-21-2022
• Approach Management Feedback 11-2-2022
• Benton County PUD Feedback 10-13-2022
• BIAW Feedback 10-19-2022
• Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Feedback 10-17-2022
• City of Tacoma Feedback 10-20-2022
• Columbia Legal Services Feedback 10-21-2022
• Cowlitz County PUD Feedback 10-13-2022
• Downtown Everett Association Feedback 10-19-2022
• Kayla Yarntender Feedback 10-19-2022
• Matthew Trecha Feedback 11-1-2022
• PHCC Feedback 10-13-2022
• Skagit PUD Feedback 10-19-2022
• Spokane County Feedback 10-12-2022
• Steve Walser Feedback 10-17-2022
• WA Hospitality Association Feedback 10-13-2022
• WA PUD Association Feedback 10-6-2022
• WA Retail Association Feedback 10-20-2022
• WA Refuse & Recycling Assn Feedback 10-21-2022
• WA State Parks Arboriculture Program Feedback
• WA State University Tri-Cities 10-17-2022
• WA State University OH&SEHS 10-10-2022
• WA Tree Fruit Association Feedback 10-21-2022
• Washington Contract Loggers Feedback 10-4-2022
• Washington Education Association Feedback 11-2-2022
• Washington Farm Bureau Feedback 10-20-2022
• Western Tow Boat Company Feedback 10-21-2022

August 2022 Draft Rule Language - Stakeholder Feedback

• WA Contract Loggers 8-17-2022
• WSU 8-17-2022
• WA Retail 8-10-2022
• Cowlitz PUD 8-23-2022
• DOT 8-17-2022
• WSU 8-10-2022
• BIAW 8-23-2022
• Sound Transit 8-23-2022

• EPA Questions & Answers (Q&A) about the 2024 AQI updates
• Wildfire Smoke and Washington Workers - L&I Topic page
• Wildfire smoke safety training kit (sample training program) in English & Spanish
• California’s permanent rule on worker safety and health in wildfire regions
• Oregon’s permanent rule on protection from wildfire smoke

Some of the key resources that were considered during the development of draft rule.

• Delfino et al. (2009). The relationship of respiratory and cardiovascular hospital admissions to the southern California wildfires of 2003. Occupational and Environmental Medicine 66(3), 189-197.
• Doubleday et al. (2020). Mortality associated with wildfire smoke exposure in Washington state, 2006-2017: a case-crossover study. Environmental Health 19(1).
• Gan et al. (2017). Comparison of wildfire smoke estimation methods and associations with cardiopulmonary related hospital admissions. GeoHealth 1(3), 122-136.
• Haikerwal et al. (2015). Impact of fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) exposure during wildfires on cardiovascular health outcomes. Journal of the American Heart Association 4(7).
• Liu et al. (2019). Ambient particulate air pollution and daily mortality in 652 cities. New England Journal of Medicine 381(8), 705-715.
• Orellano et al. (2020). Short-term exposure to particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and ozone (O3) and all-cause and cause-specific mortality: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Environment International. 142.
• United States Environmental Protection Agency (2019). Integrated Science Assessment for Particulate Matter. Office of Research and Development.
• United States Environmental Protection Agency (2020). Review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter