A recent survey conducted by the University of California, Berkeley found that about 75% of agricultural workers in Sonoma County have worked during wildfires since 2017. The study, which included responses from more than 1,000 farmworkers, highlights ongoing concerns about worker safety and questions the effectiveness of a program that allows agricultural employees to work during wildfire evacuations.
According to the research, roughly half of those surveyed reported experiencing symptoms such as headaches or sore throats after working in wildfire conditions. Additionally, half of the participants said they lacked health insurance. Many workers continued to work while feeling ill due to fears of losing their jobs or being unable to meet basic needs if they missed work.
The study also examined the Agricultural Access Verification Card Program—known as “Ag Pass”—which permits approved agricultural workers to enter evacuation zones during disasters. A policy-focused white paper released alongside the survey raised concerns that this program could force workers to choose between their health and their income.
Carly Hyland, an assistant professor at UC Berkeley’s School of Public Health and lead author of the study, stated: “The most consistent theme throughout the surveys and interviews was that farmworkers felt it necessary to work in hazardous conditions … to be able to pay for basic needs such as housing and groceries.”
The research was published on October 20 in the Journal of Agromedicine. It draws on a multiyear community-engaged project involving local organizations and health centers.
“We know farmworkers are going to continue to work in really dangerous conditions,” Hyland said. “And so I think we’re continuing to strategize about how we can make that as safe as possible for workers.”
The issue is not unique to vineyards; wildfires have also affected cattle ranches and other agricultural operations across California. In response, state lawmakers passed legislation in 2021 allowing counties to create programs granting access for livestock producers or managers during disasters. Sonoma County expanded its version of this program to include all full-time commercial agricultural employees.
Linda Gordon, a climate researcher at UC Berkeley’s Human Rights Center and co-author of the new research, noted gaps in previous policies: “Under the evacuation laws at that time, there was no clear way to do that,” she said. “Each county was designing their own programs, if any. There was very little oversight.”
Gordon began studying Ag Pass two years ago as a law student out of concern for its lack of public health input regarding worker safety behind evacuation lines. She collaborated with Hyland and community partners like Zeke Guzman, president of Latinos Unidos del Condado de Sonoma.
Guzman played a key role in connecting researchers with local farmworkers and helped form a six-person community engagement team drawn from trusted nonprofits and health centers. This approach enabled them to gather over 1,000 survey responses—a scale larger than initially anticipated.
“The community engagement team was what made it possible for us to recruit that many participants,” Hyland said. “It again underscores the importance of working with trusted community partners and really listening to them and having them advise us on how to go about doing this work.” She added: “I really firmly believe not just that it can’t, but that this work shouldn’t be done without local partners.”
Survey results revealed widespread concerns among workers about operating in fire zones, skepticism toward law enforcement agencies administering Ag Passes, limited access to health care resources before exposure or after developing symptoms, and barriers related to information accessibility.
Most respondents had not heard about Ag Pass prior to participating in the survey; nearly half found information inaccessible or were hesitant about providing personal data such as photographs required by authorities. Workers preferred receiving information through community organizations or clinics rather than government pamphlets.
One participant summarized a common sentiment: “To be honest, it is very hard to stop work, and even if we were in danger because of the wildfires or the smoke or bad quality of air, we still have to work,” adding there were no alternative sources of income available.
The research team recommends several improvements at both county and state levels. These include involving public health officials when activating programs like Ag Pass instead of relying solely on law enforcement decisions; establishing clear data privacy policies; increasing outreach efforts—especially in Spanish and Indigenous languages—and building stronger partnerships with community groups.
At the state level, recommendations call for creating an economic safety net so farmworkers are not forced into unsafe situations due solely to financial need; enforcing health regulations during disasters; and ensuring resilient climate policies account for vulnerable populations.
“We can’t design California’s resilient climate policies without thinking about the people who will be most vulnerable and impacted by them when a wildfire hits,” Gordon said.
