With wildfire season underway in the United States, the federal government is facing a potential exodus of wildland firefighters over a major pay cut that could kick in by the autumn.
Funding in President Joe Biden's 2021 infrastructure law gave a temporary pay boost to thousands of firefighters on the climate frontlines - but the money is set to run out in the coming months, which could push many to quit, experts warn. "I honestly think at least a third could go within a matter of months," said Steve Lenkart, executive director of the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE) union.
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"It would be really devastating for the country." The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) has about 10,775 wildland firefighters - 95% of its goal of 11,300 for 2023 - and the Interior Department - which manages federal and tribal lands - has over 5,400 such personnel, the latest official data shows.
While total figures are difficult to pin down, the federal government is estimated to be the largest employer of career wildland firefighters in the United States. Any reduction, though, would compound a growing labor and climate crisis, as tenured firefighters depart federal agencies for other jobs, and climate change fuels hotter, drier conditions that increase the risk of out-of-control blazes.
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