With all of the wildfires raging across the West, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and Department of the Interior (DOI) will begin implementing pay initiatives to support federal wildland firefighters. The initiatives will boost pay to at least $15 an hour for roughly 3,500 firefighters within DOI and 11,300 firefighters within USFS.
“With the growing threat of climate change, severe droughts and longer, more intense fire years, we must have more resources to protect communities, infrastructure and the environment we all depend on,” said USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack. “Supporting our brave firefighters with pay, benefits and career opportunities that reflect the importance and danger of the work that they do is critical to facing the mounting wildfire threat.”
Firefighters under DOI will receive $7.6 million from the new initiatives, and USFS firefighters will receive $24.3 million, monies allocated under the Biden administration’s Build Back Better Agenda.
The pay increase will go into effect immediately with a back pay date of June 30. All temporary frontline firefighters will also receive a $1,300 award, and all permanent frontline firefighters will receive an award up to 10 percent of six months of their base pay.
Extreme wildfire conditions have been driven by severe drought. On July 14, the national wildfire preparedness level was raised to PL 5, the highest level. This is only the third time in the past 20 years the level has been reached by mid-July. — Anna Miller,WLJ managing editor
