Wildland firefighters across the country are facing job offers being rescinded or frozen due to President Trump’s federal hiring freeze, which did not exempt federal wildland firefighters. Members of Congress are demanding an expansion of the exemption and an explanation for the hiring freeze. The U.S. Forest Service, responsible for managing 193 million acres of land, hired more than 11,300 wildland firefighters last year, most of them being temporary hires. The hiring process can take months due to physical fitness checks. The delay in hiring caused by the freeze is reducing the number of federal firefighters available to be dispatched during wildfire season. Members of Congress argue that the wildfire season is no longer limited to just a few months and should be considered a year-round danger, particularly in California. The catastrophic fires in California last month burned more than 57,000 acres, destroying thousands of structures and killing at least 29 people. Senators are calling for additional support and higher pay for firefighters who are already under stress and strain. Additionally, there are concerns about halting firefighting grants promised by Congress to local governments in the West, which are used to pay firefighters who travel to help fight wildfires in other states.
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