Alexander Sammon
Updated on: October 11, 2024 2:59 am GMT
As the United States faces increasingly devastating fire seasons, federal firefighters are grappling with not only the physical demands of their job but also a growing strain within the agency that employs them. With burnout at an all-time high and many experienced personnel leaving the field, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) is confronting significant challenges in its ability to manage wildfires effectively.
Escalating Fire Seasons and Job Mismanagement
The USFS, the largest federal employer of firefighters, has seen nearly half of its permanent workforce depart in the past three years. With fire activity across the nation exceeding normal levels—more than 7 million acres have burned this year, a 26% increase from the 10-year average—firefighters are under immense pressure. Crippling issues like job misclassification, stagnant pay, and inadequate staffing have led to widespread discontent among crew members.
Morgan Thomsen, a USFS firefighter for two decades, expressed concern over the agency’s current practices. “We have fewer people willing to stick it out and get to the positions that pay them for the work they are already doing,” he noted. The 2021 infrastructure act mandated updates to occupational series guidelines for federal employees, yet firefighters say the agency’s attempts have fallen short.
Union Accusations of Wage Theft and Misclassification
In August, the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE), which represents wildland firefighters, sent a letter to top officials at the USFS and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The correspondence accused the agency of wage theft and misclassifying jobs over several decades. The NFFE claims that the USFS’s proposed position descriptions failed to appropriately reflect the evolving responsibilities of modern firefighters.
A primary grievance involves the emergency medical technician (EMT) and emergency medical services (EMS) roles. The union seeks clearer distinctions in job roles that accurately acknowledge the comprehensive training and expertise required for these positions. “The misclassification of someone’s job can have a cumulative effect on their life,” Thomsen explained, highlighting that it impacts salary, overtime, retirement benefits, and career advancement opportunities.
Recruitment and Retention Challenges
The growing exodus of experienced firefighters has created critical gaps in coverage, tactical planning, and operational experience. The increasing reliance on inexperienced recruits to fill these gaps intensifies the burden on remaining staff. Even though the USFS claims to have met hiring goals this year, substantial roles remain unfilled just as major wildfires are breaking out nationwide.
Abel Martinez, a fire captain at Angeles National Forest, emphasized the repercussions of understaffing. “You don’t have enough people overseeing things,” he said, warning that inadequate personnel levels present substantial safety risks. The urgency of the situation is underscored by the National Interagency Fire Center’s designation of heightened firefighting activity across the country throughout this summer.
Increased Workload and Staff Fatigue
The challenges extend beyond mere staffing; they also affect firefighters’ mental and physical well-being. Many firefighters have clocked over a thousand hours of overtime this year alone. Traditional rest periods have been replaced with controlled burns and other mandatory projects, contributing to mounting fatigue.
Martinez commented on the prevailing conditions: “You are on a constant cycle of physical and mental fatigue,” revealing that this overwork correlates to rising accidents and injuries among the staff. “We are decimated with the retention so a lot of the positions aren’t filled,” he added, pointing to a feedback loop where remaining staff are forced to take on additional responsibilities.
Concerns About Future Direction of the USFS
As the USFS evolves, questions about its ability to adapt to the demands of modern wildfire management are becoming more pronounced. The agency, founded in 1905 primarily for land management purposes, has seen its focus shift overwhelmingly toward firefighting in response to growing wildfire risks. A significant portion of its workforce, roughly one-third, now consists of firefighters.
There are concerns regarding the hierarchical structure within the USFS, which typically prioritizes land-management capabilities over firefighting. This disconnect can hinder effective communication and leadership during critical fire response efforts. “There was a reason the Los Angeles County Fire Department isn’t run by the county’s parks and recreation department,” Martinez stated, underscoring the need for appropriate oversight.
USFS Response and Future Outlook
In response to these concerns, the USFS has acknowledged a pressing need for updated job classifications and has sought additional funding from Congress. Wade Muehlhof, a spokesperson for the USFS, indicated that the agency is committed to collaborating with the NFFE, highlighting attempts to incorporate more accurate EMT responsibilities into future position descriptions.
Despite claims of engagement with the NFFE and the Office of Personnel Management to improve job classifications, criticism remains that change has been minimal and slow. “A new and unique series for federal wildland firefighters is not something any federal agency has done before,” Muehlhof noted, emphasizing that such reforms will require time and consideration.
The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) is at an important moment as it tries to hire and keep firefighters while dealing with more wildfires. For federal firefighters, it’s really important to get better job titles, fair pay, and enough staff. This will help them do their jobs better and manage the growing number of wildfires.
