Extreme wildfires have been raging across the West Coast in the states of Washington, Oregon, and California. Likely due a combination of uncleared foliage and drought, these fires have resulted in loss of life and destruction of property.

In this article, we’ll discuss how these fires have affected the trucking industry.

Smoking Kills

In addition to the flames themselves, another danger posed by the wildfires is the amount of smoke generated. Direct inhalation causes health problems for people, and truck drivers need to navigate around extremely poor air quality.

Flatbed drivers don’t even have the luxury of staying inside the cab while driving through smoke-covered areas. And some truck drivers have arrived at shippers/receivers only to realize that the business is closed due to nearby fire and smoke.

Smoke-related problems can be as minor as irritation of the eyes to major breathing and cardiac problems. Truck drivers with existing health conditions should speak to their company before taking any routes through the hazardous zones.

Closed Routes

Another issue with smoke is is the reduced visiblity that comes with a huge amount of smoke. This lack of visibility extends outward as wind carries the smoke over the roads. As a result of both creeping fires and smoke-related hazardous conditions, states have shut down many interstates, highways, and roads along the West Coast, particularly in Oregon.

Route planning is always a responsible idea for truck drivers, but this habit becomes essential during times of uncertainty and danger that that comes with raging fires.

FMCSA Hours of Service Waiver Extended

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, or FMCSA, has stepped in to aid truck drivers who are providing assistance with the wildfires by extending the Hours of Service (HOS) waiver. The complete document can be read here, with a quick overview below.

• Extends the emergency declaration issued in August
• Applies to those providing direct assistance with the “transportation of supplies, goods, equipment, fuel and persons” in California, Washington, and Oregon
• After the emergency-related tasks are completed, the HOS Waiver no longer applies

According to the FMCA:

“When a driver is moving from emergency relief efforts to normal operations a 10-hour break is

required when the total time a driver operates conducting emergency relief efforts, or a

combination of emergency relief and normal operations, equals 14 hours.”

The declaration also states the order will no longer be in effect once the emergency is over, or after 11:59 PM EST on October 19th, 2020 unless otherwise updated.

Stay Safe While Driving

Since truck drivers are once againrisking their lives to deliver the necessities that America needs, we want to share the following safety tips for driving through areas affected by the wildfires.

• Route planning
• Contingency plans
• Keep your radio on a station with fire-related updates
• Monitor wind direction to estimate where smoke is likely to travel
• Avoid stopping in areas affected by wildfire
• Use your brights in low visibility areas
• Leave the windows rolled up
• Pack fire safety essentials such as a fire blanket