The risks in firefighting are always evolving. Car fires and extractions can be very dangerous now, side airbags and electric hybrids pose new dangers along with all the new synthetic materials that emit more toxic chemicals than in years past. Brush and wood fires are very physically taxing because of heavier gear and difficult terrain, they would rather fight structure fires. Every older Fireman I know has a bad back from years of dragging hose and wearing heavy air packs.
When I was in the Navy I was fully fire fighter qualified and was number one nozzle-man on number one hose. One on One in Navy firefighting terminology. I was twice assigned to the ships fire department when we went into the yards for repairs. For some odd reason I liked the job and the second time asked to be put back on it. I thought about trying to continue firefighting when I got out. But I have an issue with heights caused by an Inner Ear issue. On the ship it didn't matter. In civilian firefighting it definitely would have been an issue. I even thought about VFD but I had a home situation for 30 years that was more pressing.
I read the article though. The city needs to find a middle ground on this. If a person works overtime they deserve to be paid. But it should not be beyond 96 hour consecutive hours. I'd say 72 should be a reasonable limit and would help manpower issues be corrected.
My last job I had which was building mechanics had lots of overtime that's how I got by pay wise was in overtime often double shifts. The company I worked for a large health care facility would rather pay overtime than hire more qualified help.
In the case of the man in the article for California I don't see a base pay of $65K as excessive for him because the cost of living there is astronomical. I would expect as well if he was say in Anchorage, Alaska his base pay would be higher as the local economy dictates.
My cousin made a career of fire fighting most of it working as a state emergency management instructor in a poorer southern state. He did it because that's what he liked doing. He recently retired and I think his son is a fireman in a smaller town.