
As more wildfires loom, concern grows about those who dedicate their lives to fighting them
CBSN
As wildfires grow in size, frequency and intensity, officials are looking for new ways to fight back. But there's also a new focus on the mental and physical health of those who dedicate their lives to fighting the deadly blazes.
One of those people is Aaron Humphrey, who worked as a hotshot superintendent for the U.S. Forest Service. Hotshots work on the edges of fires, scraping the ground bare to prevent the fire from gaining more fuel. After following his father's footsteps and working 25 seasons with the agency, Humphrey sent a resignation letter to colleagues detailing his need for "professional help" due to his job's working conditions.
"I just felt angry all the time," he told CBS News freelance correspondent Brook Silva Braga. "I felt anxious and angry."