US EditionForest and park service worker cuts leave wildland firefighting crews short-staffed
- In February 2025, the Forest Service cut workers across multiple Pacific Northwest forests amid wildfire season concerns.
- These cuts occurred during Elon Musk's federal spending reduction push, following Trump-era budget cuts that eliminated 2,000 National Forest positions.
- More than a thousand employees of the National Park Service were dismissed, leading to widespread public backlash and a court ruling requiring many to be reinstated; however, officials maintain that the reduction in staff continues to pose significant challenges.
- Washington State Forester George Geissler warned of a "pretty significant wildland fire season" while senators noted most laid-off workers hold Red Cards, showing vital firefighting training.
- Despite rehiring efforts and pay increases for wildfire personnel, insufficient communication and funding limits continue to hinder wildfire preparedness in the region.
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59 Articles
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WA Lands Commissioner warns state cut wildfire prevention by $60M
(The Center Square) – As federal cuts shake the U.S. Forest Service ahead of wildfire season, Public Lands Commissioner Dave Upthegrove said Friday that Washington state also eliminated around $60 million in fire prevention funding.
Wildfire season is coming. Oregon and Washington are struggling to plan amid Trump cuts
SEATTLE — Trump administration funding cuts and a loss of federal workers who help support wildland firefighting continues to make planning for the upcoming wildfire season a challenge, according to forest and fire officials in Washington state and Oregon.
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.
Federal hiring freezes worry Washington firefighting agencies
SPOKANE, Wash. - Firefighters and Department of Natural Resources (DNR) officials are preparing for the upcoming fire season, but federal hiring freezes are causing concern. Thomas Milward from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources explained that the ongoing federal…
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