Some days I dread going to work, but at least my job doesn’t put my life at risk. That’s not the case for firefighters—people who routinely face extreme danger to protect others. Firefighters don’t just deal with house fires or car accidents. They also battle massive wildfires, often in brutal conditions.
Take, for example, the Góis Forest Fire in Portugal a few years ago, which took over 1,100 firefighters to control. A photo from that event recently resurfaced online. Shared by Pedro Brás, it shows a group of firefighters collapsed on a smoke-covered lawn, grabbing just 25 minutes of rest after 24 straight hours of fighting the blaze.

It’s a powerful reminder of the courage and exhaustion behind the job. Firefighters don’t get nearly enough recognition for the risks they take and the lives they save.