As wildfires ravaged Sonoma County’s wine country in 2020, Maria Salinas continued to harvest grapes amidst flying ash and smoke-filled air. The toxins turned her saliva black, and she eventually had trouble breathing and was rushed to the emergency room. After recovering, she returned to work despite the ongoing fires.

“Necessity forces us to work,” Salinas said. “We always expose ourselves to danger out of necessity, whether from fire, disaster, or extreme weather.”

As climate change increases the frequency and severity of wildfires globally, a new study reveals that farmworkers are suffering from high levels of air pollution. In Sonoma County, researchers found that a program intended to determine safe working conditions during wildfires did not adequately protect farmworkers. They recommended installing air quality monitors at work sites, stricter employer requirements, emergency plans and training in various languages, post-exposure health screenings, and hazard pay.

Farmworkers are “experiencing first and hardest what the rest of us are just starting to understand,” said Max Bell Alper, executive director of North Bay Jobs with Justice, during a webinar on the research published in GeoHealth. He noted that this reflects a broader national trend, with California’s experiences now happening elsewhere.

Farmworkers often face immense pressure to work in hazardous conditions due to poverty, lack of pay for missed work, and vulnerabilities related to limited English proficiency, lack of benefits, discrimination, and exploitation. These factors make it difficult for them to advocate for better working conditions.

Researchers examined data from the 2020 Glass and LNU Lightning Complex fires in Sonoma County. During these fires, many farmworkers continued working, often in evacuation zones deemed unsafe for the general public. As smoke and ash can contaminate grapes, growers were under pressure to keep workers in the fields.

The study analyzed air quality data from an AirNow monitor and 359 PurpleAir monitors. From July 31 to Nov. 6, 2020, the AirNow sensor recorded 21 days of air pollution unhealthy for sensitive groups and 13 days unhealthy for everyone. The PurpleAir monitors found 27 days unhealthy for sensitive groups and 16 days toxic for everyone. Smoke was often worse at night, a detail crucial since some employers asked workers to work at night due to cooler temperatures and less concentrated smoke, said researcher Michael Méndez of UC-Irvine.

“Hundreds of farmworkers were exposed to toxic wildfire smoke, potentially harming their health,” Méndez said. “There was no post-exposure monitoring.”

The study also reviewed the county’s Agricultural Pass program, which allows farmworkers into mandatory evacuation areas for essential activities. The program’s approval process lacked clear standards and enforcement, with applications often missing details like the number of workers and worksite locations.

Irva Hertz-Picciotto of UC-Davis, not involved in the study, noted that symptoms from inhaling wildfire smoke can start within minutes and include eye irritation, coughing, sneezing, and difficulty breathing. Long-term exposure to fine particulate matter increases the risk of heart and lung disease, asthma, low birth weight, and even dementia.

Anayeli Guzmán, who also harvested grapes during the fires, experienced fatigue and burning eyes and throat but never sought medical care due to lack of health coverage. “We don’t have that option,” Guzmán said. “If I get a checkup, I’d lose a day of work or face a medical bill.”

In the webinar, Guzmán expressed frustration that vineyard owners were more concerned about grapes tainted by smoke than the health of their workers.

A 2021 survey by UC-Merced and the National Agricultural Workers Survey found that fewer than 1 in 5 farmworkers have employer-based health coverage.

Hertz-Picciotto emphasized the essential role of farmworkers in the nation’s food supply and the need to protect them. “From a moral and health perspective, it’s reprehensible that protections aren’t in place for farmworkers. This study highlights real recommendations to address these issues,” she said.