Engaging in forest firefighting has underscored the necessity for intervention, given the physical and cognitive fatigue experienced by firefighters. The principal objective of this investigation was to ascertain the perceived effort and workload among Portuguese volunteer firefighters following exposure to forest firefighting scenarios. Employing the NASA-TLX scale and the Borg scale, this study assessed 21 volunteer firefighters (comprising 8 women and 13 men) during Portugal’s firefighting season. The evaluation identified firefighting tasks (specifically, nozzle and rope operations) as the most demanding according to the firefighters’ perspectives. The dimensions deemed most significant by firefighters when evaluating their workload encompassed mental load, physical load, performance, and effort. Indeed, the Borg scale underscored those firefighters regard firefighting tasks as highly physically demanding, with a maximum score of 10 on this scale. This inquiry highlights those firefighting duties are perceived as exceedingly taxing, both physically and mentally, by firefighters. Thus, it is recommended that objective methodologies be employed to more accurately discern workloads.