Abstract: Abstract Firefighter protective clothing brings heat stress to firefighters while it meets the high standard of protection. Compared with its protective performance, its heat stress is a new research task. Heat stress of firefighters is reviewed in the article. The definition of heat stress is introduced and its influence on human ergonomics, thermal and humid comfort and physiology are analysed. The normally used strategies of combating heat stress in firefighting protective clothing are reviewed also. Finally, new strategies based on human body heat transfer, new materials and clothing configuration design are proposed to combat heat stress and improve work efficiency.