The Forest Service is nearing its goal of hiring more than 11,000 seasonal firefighters as an exceptionally dry summer looms, Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz said Thursday.
At a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing on the agency’s budget proposal for fiscal 2017, Schultz said the Forest Service has hired more than 9,000 firefighters and is ahead of its pace from a year ago to meet the target.
“We’re going to be prepared,” Schultz said, adding that the agency expects to repeat last year’s approach of an aggressive initial attack on fires.
The chief’s testimony comes as the West is primed for summer fires following a shortage of winter snow and rain. Some places in Utah and other states have seen barely a quarter of typical snowmelt, and Oregon is at less than a third statewide.
