I live in an area with regular wildfires. Although women wildland firefighters are not the majority, they are not uncommon. After talking with some of the men and some of the women in the units, the women pull their weight. The standards are different from urban fire fighting. Everyone has to carry a pack weighing at least 40 pounds plus equipment.
If you think those female firefighters couldn’t be replaced by better-qualified men, then you probably think that professional female soccer players could beat a high school boy’s team.
The breathing gear for urban firefighters is pretty dang serious business.