Firefighters across France have begun a month-long strike, starting on September 8 and continuing until the end of the month, to demand better working conditions, more resources, and improved health monitoring. Xavier Boy, a spokesperson for the intersyndical union representing firefighters, explained that the strike will involve banners at fire stations and "On strike" armbands, but essential services will continue with a minimum level of staffing. The unions are highlighting the growing challenges faced by firefighters, especially following the intense fires experienced during the summer of 2026. The firefighters are raising concerns about the dangers they face while carrying out their duties, particularly due to exposure to toxic smoke from fires. They are calling for more sustainable funding to support their work and better health monitoring throughout their careers. According to the general inspection of the administration, volunteer firefighters have performed 32 million hours of guard duty in fire stations, which has led to the need for hiring 21,000 professional firefighters to cover this workload. However, the current number of professional firefighters is still considered insufficient for the demands of the job. The unions are also pushing for more equipment, especially fire engine tankers for fighting forest fires. Nearly a thousand such vehicles have been lost over the past ten years, and while the government has announced replacements, it has not expanded the fleet beyond renewing aging vehicles. During the summer, urban fire trucks were used to combat forest fires, and in some cases, civilians, including farmers, had to help put out fires. Additionally, firefighters are sometimes called upon to fight forest fires during their vacations, meaning that if they are injured or killed during this time, they are not officially recognized as work-related injuries or deaths. Firefighters are exposed to a variety of toxic substances, including fine particles, benzene, asbestos, and combustion gases containing millions of different chemicals. They are worried about the lack of regular health monitoring, as medical check-ups have become less frequent, from once a year to once every four years. Some young firefighters in their thirties have been diagnosed with cancers such as prostate, bladder, or testicular cancer, which are sometimes referred to as "smoker's cancers" even though they have never smoked. These cancers are suspected to be linked to their exposure to fire smoke. To address these concerns, firefighters are calling for more personnel to reduce exposure time and regular medical monitoring to track the levels of harmful substances they absorb. They also want regular health tests and, in cases of excessive exposure, to either delay interventions until the body can recover or stop exposure to smoke to prevent illness. The strike includes planned demonstrations, including a major event at the Champ de Mars in Paris on September 29, and static demonstrations on September 27 and 28. Across France, firefighters are holding public meetings in front of town halls, prefectures, or market squares to explain their reasons for the strike and raise awareness about their working conditions, including the 600 hours of unpaid work they perform each year, their exposure to carcinogens without proper protection, and the overall challenges they face in their profession.