Trump mass layoffs cause uncertainty among federal firefighting workforce - Iqraa news

On February 16, Marya Washburn received an email stating that she was being fired from the United States Forest Service, one of several agencies that oversees the federal wildland firefighting labour force.

She was among the 3,400 probationary employees the Forest Service laid off, as part of President Donald Trump’s efforts to slash the federal workforce.

It was a dramatic cut, representing nearly 10 percent of the agency’s 35,000 employees. Another government body that combats fires, the Department of the Interior, lost an estimated 2,300 employees.

But experts and firefighters like Washburn warn that Trump’s cuts will come at a cost, weakening US preparedness for battling year-round wildfires.

Before the layoffs, Washburn worked as a public affairs specialist, but she had a “red card”, which means that she was certified to fight fires. That allowed her to work on fire crews that were short-staffed and support activities such as prescribed burns.

Other workers who were terminated under Trump provided important logistical services to fire crews, even if they were not on the front lines themselves.

Such federal workers are informally referred to as the “militia”, and experts say they seem to be among those most impacted by the Trump administration’s downsizing of the Forest Service and other agencies with firefighting roles.

Like many in her position, Washburn said that officials cited poor performance as the reason for her termination, but that she had only ever received positive reviews for her work.

Washburn believes that she was fired without cause — which violates federal laws protecting government employees from arbitrary dismissal. She plans to file a challenge to get her job back. But she’s not holding her breath.

“If I had fought this a year ago I think it would have been a really clear-cut case,” she said in a recent telephone call. “But we’re in a different environment now.”

Several other federal firefighters and red card holders spoke with Al Jazeera on condition of anonymity, as they feared potential retaliation.

They expressed concern that reductions to the Forest Service, the Department of the Interior and other agencies could add pressure on a firefighting workforce that already struggles with retention due to low wages, cost of living issues, and the strain of more demanding fire seasons.

“There’s a whole network of people behind the scenes supporting firefighters,” Riva Duncan, vice president of the advocacy group Grassroots Wildland Firefighters, said. “If you have less of those people, it weakens the whole apparatus.”

Many of Trump’s efforts to reshape the federal government have been challenged in court, often by employee unions or Democrat-led states that argue such decisions fall to Congress.

Some have faced temporary restraining orders or legal setbacks, while others have won short-term victories. Nearly all the cases are still navigating their way through the federal court system.

In addition, some federal employees have filed complaints directly with the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), a panel that enforces worker rights within the government. Last week, a judge blocked Trump’s efforts to fire the chair of the MSPB.

On Wednesday, one of the board’s decisions comes into effect, forcing the US Department of Agriculture — which oversees the Forest Service — to temporarily reinstate many of its fired probationary workers.

All of the legal wrangling has created a sense of confusion and uncertainty about the state of the workforce, during a time when many federal fire crews are preparing for the warm-weather months when fires tend to be more intense.

“Mentally, it’s pretty stressful,” said a helitack squad leader for the Department of the Interior with about 10 years of experience. Helitack crews are ferried to fires via helicopter.

“There are so many rumours going around. I’ve tried to limit my intake of information by getting off of social media.”

The helitack leader believes that, no matter what happens with the legal challenges and the staffing cuts, the government’s preparations for fire season will be delayed.

“Even if they could push a button and give the green light for all of these jobs, the start date is still going to be pushed back,” he explained. “And if someone joins a crew late that can definitely impact the preparedness of a crew and their overall ability to safely fight fire.”

A wildland firefighter who was recently preparing to join an engine crew with a federal agency in southern California said that she was told her onboarding would be delayed while the effect of the federal changes was worked out. She is unsure if she will be able to keep her job.

She has five years of experience with elite hotshot crews. But she was classified as a probationary worker after she accepted a job at a different federal agency to be closer to a family member experiencing health issues.

“This is my entire life,” she said in a message to Al Jazeera. “If this is taken away from me for no reason, I’ll have nothing.”

The uncertainty around hiring decisions has also created a sense of whiplash, where workers can receive reassuring news one day, only to see it reversed shortly after.

The hotshot crew member said that, in late February, she was told that a court had struck down some of the firings and that she would likely be able to move forward with her new firefighting position.

But a little more than one week later, she received a phone call informing her that she had been fired in her probationary period.

“I’ve broken my body to get here. I’ve almost died multiple times doing this job for absolutely no money,” she said. “And now my reward is getting fired for no reason.”

Several workers noted that the full impact of the staffing reduction is yet to be seen.

“The loss of those workers will be felt,” said another wildland firefighter with nearly a decade of experience who works with a federal agency in California. “But the extent of that loss is unknown until we enter fire season.”

But many are also quick to point out that the upheaval comes at a time when the federal wildland firefighting workforce is already experiencing strain.

“There is already a significant retention issue due to low wages, cost of living issues, and the disparity of pay when compared to state and private crews,” said Duncan, the advocate with the Grassroots Wildland Firefighters.

A pay increase for federal wildland firefighters was included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2021, boosting wages by up to $20,000 per year. However, the change was temporary and has been subject to congressional renewal, creating uncertainty that it could eventually expire.

The raise was renewed in 2024 but must be approved again in 2025.

A spending bill passed by the House of Representatives on Tuesday includes a permanent fix but is tied to a larger spending package whose fate in the Senate is uncertain.

“People are holding on as long as they can hoping for a long-term fix,” said Duncan.

Congress has yet to make the wage increase permanent, and many worry that the profession could see an exodus if steps are not taken to turn wildland firefighting from a precarious, low-paying job into a more sustainable career.

Advocates have called for higher wages, more stable employment and consistent access to vital benefits such as healthcare.

“There are so many things being put onto the wildland workforce. This is a field that thrives on the idealism of young people,” said Oliver Simic, a former wildland firefighter now pursuing a graduate degree focused on firefighter decision-making and risk assessment at Western Washington University.

“I’m not sure what the breaking point is. But I’d have to say we’re approaching it.”