Sen. Adam Schiff is calling for seasonal wildland firefighters to be exempt from the federal hiring freeze in order to ensure readiness for future wildfires. The hiring freeze, instituted by President Donald Trump’s executive order, has halted the onboarding of thousands of firefighters, leading to concerns about a potential shortfall in firefighting resources for the upcoming fire season. Schiff sent a letter to the Department of Agriculture, the Department of the Interior, and the Office of Management and Budget urging them to exempt federal firefighters from the freeze and provide information on how the freeze has affected hiring and retention.
The recent wildfires in the Los Angeles area have highlighted the importance of federal firefighters, who played a critical role in responding to the fires and saving homes. However, as of Friday, wildland firefighters have not been exempt from the hiring freeze, despite the essential nature of their work. The Agriculture Department, which oversees the U.S. Forest Service, has not made any exemptions for seasonal firefighters.
Schiff is concerned about the impact of the hiring freeze on public safety in fire-prone areas and is urging federal agencies to take action to ensure that firefighters are able to continue their essential work. The Department of the Interior has stated that certain positions related to public safety, including firefighting, may be exempt from the hiring freeze. Ultimately, exempting seasonal firefighters from the freeze would help ensure that communities are adequately protected from the impacts of wildfires.
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