Farmworkers feed the country, but who protects them from wildfire smoke?
Thousands of farmworkers labored in fields in Ventura County, Calif. in late January in wildfire smoke. They have little to no protection from its harmful effects.
![Farmworkers feed the country, but who protects them from wildfire smoke?](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1024x576+0+107/resize/1400/quality/100/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fa6%2F2e%2F0b29ccfc43aeada32787baac8fdc%2Fap25022807204567.jpg)
![A farmworker laboring through high winds near a brush fire in Camarillo, CA on Jan.23, 2005. Employers in California are legally required to provide N95 respirators to workers when the Air Quality Index reaches 150.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/3000x2000+0+0/resize/3000x2000!/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fbc%2F8c%2F41000e5749958d0e5c29d5053373%2Fgettyimages-2194946302.jpg)
Thousands of farmworkers labored in fields in Ventura County, Calif. in late January in wildfire smoke. They have little to no protection from its harmful effects.
(Image credit: Brian van der Brug)