The Forest Service has begun recruiting firefighters for the coming wildfire season and expects to again hit a goal of nearly 12,000 hires, Deputy Chief John Crockett told a House panel on Wednesday.
Crockett told the Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands that the agency’s current hiring goal is similar to last year’s, when the Forest Service brought on 11,300 seasonal firefighters despite workforce reductions elsewhere in the agency.
Crockett’s assertion came in response to questions from Rep. Cliff Bentz (R-Ore.), who described expectations for the next fire season as “truly horrific” if this winter’s reduced snowpack results in forests that are drier than usual.
Firefighters were exempt from the Trump administration’s deferred resignation offer and other incentives to leave the agency. Forest Service employees certified in fire response were among the mass departures, but Crockett said firefighting operations weren’t sacrificed with the personnel losses.
