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Add this to the list of dangers firefighters face in the 21st century: higher rates of cancer than most other professions.

Wildfires are burning hundreds of homes in California, destroying people's cherished possessions in the process. According to the Atlantic, our furniture has become more synthetic and less natural over the years, and when it burns, the smoke that's produced is filled with toxic chemicals that can cause long-term health problems for firefighters.

"Ironically, the most dangerous thing about an occupation that involves running into burning buildings isn’t the flames, but the smoke," said the Atlantic's report.

(MORE: Hundreds of Homes Destroyed By Fires in California)

In recent years, flame retardants are being used more and more in our furniture, Scientific American reported. They tested several different kinds of couches and found flame retardants in nearly all of them.

And when that furniture burns, it releases those chemicals into the air. According to the Atlantic, firefighters whose blood was tested after responding to a fire had extremely elevated levels of flame retardants in their blood stream – three times higher than anyone else.

The Atlantic cites a 2006 meta-analysis of 32 previous studies that concluded firefighters are at an elevated risk for multiple myeloma. Additionally, they may face a higher risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, prostate and testicular cancers, the review found.

Since then, several additional studies have also found firefighters face a higher risk of other forms of cancer – brain, colon, skin and prostate cancers, among others – the Atlantic also said. 

In a year that has seen fewer, more powerful wildfires, there will be more homes threatened. If those dwellings catch fire, crews will be expected to go in and try to save whatever they can of those homes, even if the furnishings inside are trying to kill them with noxious smoke while they fight.

MORE ON WEATHER.COM: Wildfires Burn in California