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USFS 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.

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KUOW

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.

13 hours ago·Seattle, United States

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Helena Independent Record

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The Billings Gazette

USFS 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.

20 hours ago·Helena, United States

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KXLF

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…

2 days ago

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Salt Lake Tribune

Letter: Without our rangers, our parks, economy and surrounding communities will suffer greatly

Surrounded by the vast natural beauty of Utah, it’s no surprise I grew to have a deep affection and adoration for nature. I spent my summers growing up in national parks and forests all over the West and Midwest, and, like many Americans, I was devastated to hear about the mass layoff of over 3,000 national park and U.S. forest service employees.

2 days ago·Salt Lake City, United States

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Wrangell Sentinel

Trump says he wants to expand logging, but uncertainty prevails in Tongass

President Donald Trump has issued several executive orders in recent weeks to expand logging in the nation’s forests, but stakeholders say the recent mass firings of U.S. Forest Service employees could hinder the administration’s plans in Alaska. Trump’s actions are the latest chapter in a decades-long tug-of-war between conservation and development in Southeast Alaska’s Tongass National Forest —...

2 days ago

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