Legislators say cuts damage nation’s fire crews

Federal layoffs, retirements and resignations engineered by President Donald Trump and his Department of Government Efficiency have left the nation underprepared for wildfire season, according to two Northwest Democrats.

Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon and their invited guests that included retired foresters and state and local fire officials told reporters Thursday that agencies like the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management have been hollowed out.

While the Trump administration says its boots-on-the-ground firefighters have been spared from its effort to reshape the federal workforce, Murray and Merkley said they are not sure that is true. Even if it is, they said the agencies are short of people who make sure firefighters are fed, sheltered and paid.

“Nearly every single Forest Service employee supports fire operations in some capacity,” said Murray, adding that it includes people who maintain trails and equipment or work on prescribed fire and thinning projects that reduce the threat of future events.

“In fact, around three-quarters of Forest Service workers are trained in wildland firefighting. They provide crucial surge capacity when a crisis strikes,” she said.

According to a Forest Service spokesperson, nearly 5,000 “non-fire employees” people have left or will soon leave the agency through layoffs, early retirements or voluntary resignations.

In a letter to agency employees Tuesday, Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz said firefighting will be a top priority as he and others implement “interim government structures and operating plans” to deal with the reduction in staffing.

“Firstly, we will ensure safety above all while supporting our agency’s readiness and response to wildfire suppression effort,” he said. “Everything else comes second. Eligible employees may be asked to take training and gain qualifications needed to support these efforts as we head into a potential ‘above normal’ fire season for much of the West.”

Merkley said that loss of experience plus sudden cuts to critical programs have stalled important work like training, preparing for the coming fire season and longer term work to thin fire-prone forests.