Trump Administration Hiring Freeze Impacts Federal Firefighters Ahead of Wildfire Season
LOS ANGELES -- The Trump administration's federal hiring freeze has halted the onboarding of thousands of seasonal federal firefighters, including those needed to combat the destructive fires in the Los Angeles area, raising concerns about a possible firefighter shortfall as the upcoming fire season approaches.
Despite President Donald Trump's January 20 executive order stating that the freeze does not apply to positions related to "public safety," federal firefighters are not exempt, according to sources at the Bureau of Land Management.
The U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the National Park Service employ over 15,000 career and temporary seasonal firefighters who manage fuel, fight wildland fires, and assist other agencies during emergencies as part of the National Incident Management System.
One field office within the Bureau of Land Management informed its hiring officials via email to "hold all offers related to fire positions" due to the freeze. "They were already in the middle of hiring their summer workforce when the federal hiring freeze was implemented," stated a hiring manager from Utah.
Another official expressed frustration, saying, "The level of stupidity and negligence here is enraging." They questioned, "What if there's nobody to show up? How many people died with garden hoses in their hands? The decision-makers are not the ones whose homes are at risk."
The hiring process for federal firefighters is lengthy due to federal background checks, leading to concerns about reduced staff amid tragic recent events like the Eaton and Palisades fires in Los Angeles County, which resulted in at least 29 deaths and the destruction of over 18,000 structures.
As Brian Ferguson, a spokesperson for Governor Gavin Newsom, noted, "Federal firefighters are the backbone of protecting public safety and extinguishing fires in California. A hiring slowdown jeopardizes public safety for both federal lands and citizens." Newsom had previously stated that fires could become the costliest in U.S. history in terms of damage.
Reports indicated that U.S. Forest Service firefighters played a critical role in combating the Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire, utilizing five large air tankers, ten helicopters, and numerous fire engines.
With the Forest Service undergoing a departmentwide hiring freeze, per a January 21 memo from Gary Washington, acting secretary of the Agriculture Department, there are currently no exemptions for hiring in place. The memo instructed that no offers of employment should be extended, and offers already made must be revoked if not accepted promptly.
Union representative Steve Gutierrez confirmed this and added that offers for many positions had already been rescinded. He expressed concern regarding thousands of firefighters still on probation facing employment risk. "I was hoping for an exemption this time," he said.
This isn't the first federal hiring freeze; a similar freeze in 2017 did exempt firefighters.
The Interior Department stated that it is "implementing President Donald J. Trump's Executive Order across the federal civilian workforce," while the Forest Service indicated it is "actively working with OPM on its wildland firefighting positions."
Responses from the National Park Service and the White House have been absent, as well as from the National Interagency Fire Center.
Sergio Gor, director of presidential personnel, commented on the freeze, noting its purpose to allow for careful vetting of new hires, stating, "you have to clean house. Look, it's one of those things."
Union leader Gutierrez criticized the simultaneous buyout offers sent to current firefighters, stating, "I don't understand how this is happening. It feels like a slap in the face to the bravemen and women saving communities, only to be facing resignation letters while on duty."
