Farming

CLEAN AIR–I CARE: Stressors of Balancing Childcare, Work, and Concerns of Wildfire Smoke Exposures for Farmworker Parents

Working outside amid heat and wildfire smoke makes summer farm work grueling. But for those who are also parents, these challenges are compounded by the pressure of balancing work and childcare, and concerns about their children’s health in the smoke. Farmworkers also have few wildfire and smoke information sources that are non-written or in Spanish. 

Supporting farmworker families through smoke season

“Have you ever been working in the field and been unable to see the sun because of smoke?”

At a recent outreach event for farmworker families in Central Washington, participants were asked questions like this one about the challenges they face during wildfire smoke season, with an invitation to raise their hands when they agreed.

“Are you afraid that you would get in trouble if you left work during a wildfire event to go help a family member?”

Everyone in the room raised their hands.

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