The National Wildfire Coordinating Group’s Equipment Technology Committee has issued an advisory about fire shelters. Actual use on fire entrapments confirmed by testing shows that shelters manufactured before 2006 “function as intended” but may experience greater delamination between the silica cloth and aluminum foil when deployed.

The U.S. Forest Service National Technology and Development Program detected differing levels of fire shelter degradation during two separate entrapments in 2020 where fire shelters were used. Further investigation revealed that those manufactured prior to 2006 showed more degradation.

The NWCG advisory does not describe how serious the delamination is, or the differences in temperature and effects on a person inside who is hoping the device will save their life. Nor does it take the obvious step of recommending any actions that should be taken or not taken, such as discontinuing use of the pre-2006 models. It only says the advisory “provides technical information to support agency-specific decision-making regarding replacement of fire shelters manufactured prior to 2006.” The fact that they issued the advisory, and surrounded the document with yellow and gray slashes (see below), promotes the assumption that it is an urgent concern.

The failure to take a stand on this important safety issue could be because the agencies do not want to be forced to spend the money to buy new shelters. They are listed in the 2019 Federal Defence Logistics Agency Wildland Fire Equipment catalog starting at $326 for the regular size — without the case. Purchased on the open market the costs are considerably higher. I found prices ranging from $441 to $595.

The advisory is below. Click the arrow at the bottom-left to see the photos on the second page.

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