Trump’s Hiring Freeze Leaves Wildfire Fighters in Limbo, Sparks Backlash -

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February 11, Los Angeles: Weeks after catastrophic wildfires tore through California, federal wildland firefighters are facing job uncertainties due to President Donald Trump’s Jan. 20 hiring freeze. Despite an exemption for public safety workers, wildland firefighters were not included, leading to rescinded or frozen job offers across the country.

The move has sparked outrage among Democratic lawmakers, who are calling on the administration to reconsider. “The administration must not sacrifice the safety of the American people for the benefit of implementing a political agenda,” 15 Democratic senators wrote in a letter to the Department of Agriculture, urging an expansion of the exemption. They warned that failing to hire enough firefighters will leave the country unprepared for future wildfires, ultimately costing taxpayers and communities even more.

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Trump has previously clashed with California leaders over wildfire prevention policies, often blaming state mismanagement for the crisis. When he first took office in 2017, Trump issued a similar hiring freeze but made an exception for wildland firefighters—leaving many questioning why this time is different.

The U.S. Forest Service, overseen by the Agriculture Department, employs more than 11,300 wildland firefighters annually, most of whom are seasonal hires. The recruitment process takes months, as candidates must complete physical fitness tests and other requirements. Lawmakers say the freeze is disrupting this process, leaving the country with fewer trained personnel ahead of what is now considered a year-round wildfire season.