US EditionUSFS layoffs: Montana wildfire fighting capacity eroded as red-card workers are fired
- Approximately 360 U.S. Forest Service employees have received job termination notices from the Trump Administration, raising concerns about impacts on public lands and firefighting capabilities.
- In the Helena Lewis and Clark National Forest, 38 employees have been laid off, prompting worries about a potential decline in trail maintenance and campground cleanliness.
- Bill Avey, a retired U.S. Forest Service employee, expressed concerns about the agency's ability to manage public lands effectively, pointing out significant work beyond direct firefighting that has been affected.
- Retirees of the Forest Service are raising funds to support those fired, highlighting the economic impact of recent layoffs as many local workers seek new jobs.
22 Articles
22 Articles
Arizona Mirror
‘Stonewalling’: Forest Service mum on firings during wildfire briefing for congressional staff
A slide from the presentation Forest Service officials gave this week to staffers for Southwestern congressional staffers. An aide told Source NM that officials refused more than 10 times to say how many Forest Service employees were fired in the region. (Slide obtained by Source NM)An annual wildfire briefing earlier this week between staffers for Southwestern members of Congress and Forest Service officials was unusual for two reasons, accordi…
Unkept trails, cancelled programs. Washington state feels the impact of federal forest cuts
Dozens of people across Washington state who worked at national parks and forests have lost their jobs in recent weeks, as part of sweeping overhaul of the federal workforce by President Donald Trump. Those firings could cause ripple effects across state programs that benefit hikers, backpackers, and mountain bikers.
'How are we going to do this?' Wildland firefighting in doubt after Forest Service firings
About 75% of the fired Forest Service workers held red cards. That means the agency lost some 2,550 wildland firefighters overnight — a 20% increase over primary firefighters, erased.
Helena Independent Record
The Billings GazetteUSFS layoffs: Montana wildfire fighting capacity eroded as red-card workers are fired
About 75% of the fired Forest Service workers held red cards. That means the agency lost some 2,550 wildland firefighters overnight — a 20% increase over primary firefighters, erased.
"It's scary": USFS employees share stories of layoffs and uncertain futures
Over Presidents day weekend, 3,400 employees across the United States Forest Service received termination notices in a move from the federal government intended to increase efficiency in the department, according to Reuters. In Douglas County, staff that maintained and managed…
Former US Forest Service employees gather in Helena to discuss layoff impacts
In Montana, approximately 360 U.S. Forest Service employees have been given job termination notices by the Trump Administration. On Tuesday, former employees shared their concerns about the funding freeze and layoffs.Bill Avey, a U.S. Forest Service retiree says, "I have a lot of concerns about how the agency is going to get its work done and how they are going to take care of these lands that are public trust."The Big Elk Divide Restoration Com…
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