President Trump argues that “covering” forests and other fuel reduction measures will help prevent wildfires from destroying the West. However, early actions by his administration have frozen one of the key programs to complete that kind of work.
The administration’s bloc on the contract office of some of the Bureau of Land Management comes at the same time as freezing most federal jobs. This is a measure that led to disruption at the U.S. Forest Service, where employment of some firefighters was postponed.
A White House spokesman said the Home Office, which oversees BLM, is considering funding decisions to match Trump’s executive order. The review focuses in part on spending approved under President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Act and Inflation Reduction Act.
Dozens of Congress’ firefighters unions and dozens of Democrats have denounced the Trump administration’s retention of contracts and employment delays, and actions are about common sense and how Trump’s own advice reduces the threat of wildfires. He said it was against the advice.
Two US Senators from California, Alex Padilla and Adamsif, will lift the holding of wild “treatment” contracts that BLM pays private companies to remove brushes and trees in fire-prone areas. He joined 12 other Western Senators to request.
Fifty-seven members of the House, including Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) and Scott Peters (D-San Diego), have joined the recovery of fire prevention work and the chronically unsupported forest department resuming firefighters’ employment. I did.
“It’s a slap in the face. Steve Gutierrez of the Federal Federation, who represents firefighters, said that hiring some firefighters was suspended last week due to employment freezes. “They’re going to do it. Don’t you care about the work you’re in? Doesn’t the government have my back?”
Brian K. Rice, chairman of California’s Federation of Professional Firefighters, also expressed disappointment, with almost half of the state on federal lands that include “some of our state’s wildest and most fiery regions.” He pointed out that there is.
“President Trump has recently acknowledged that vegetation management is a major factor in preventing catastrophic fires, so it’s a shame to see his order to halt work on fuel reduction and employment freezes. “Firemen and emergency medical workers. “The result is within the imagination of everyone after the destruction that took place in Los Angeles County since the New Year.”
In an interview with the Associated Press, a White House spokesman downplayed the impact of his actions.
“Just because of reviews doesn’t mean that this work doesn’t have a desire to accomplish,” said Harrison Fields, associate press president of the White House. “A proper surveillance of the dollar is just as important as ensuring California recovers.”
Fields also said, “There were no greater advocates to restore California to natural beauty than President Trump, so he made the point to visit the region in his first week of office, and he was at a loss for the nation. It continues to put pressure on the region as well, as it reduces barriers to rehabilitation.”
McLaurin Pinover, a spokesman for the federal government’s Department of Personnel Management, said firefighters are exempt from employment freezes because they are public security workers. A White House spokesperson said the administration will continue to protect public and tribal lands, infrastructure and communities from the impact of wildfires through dangerous fuel management, wildfire preparation and close collaboration with interagency partners. We will hire important positions.”
However, Federal Employees Union Gutierrez said workers in one group, which is scheduled to begin Sunday, were said to have been informed that onboarding is pending.
Firefighter representatives were worried that hiccups in employment would exacerbate the long-term difficulties recruiting employees to US agencies. Federal firefighters generally receive far lower wages than those who work for state and city agencies. Captains, Engine bosses, and more have been some of the major escapes in recent years.
With the 45% attrition rate for Forest Service firefighters over the past four years, Democrat senators have urged the Trump administration to quickly clarify the situation.
The important need to reduce fuel in the mountains and hills of the western region is agreed by wildfire experts and elected officials of both major political parties.
Congress has secured more than $3 billion from the work infrastructure and the Inflation Reduction Act. This is just as diverse as a controlled burn setting, deploying goats to eat vegetation, or crews have brushes and trees on hand.
One company doing such work in northern Oregon, Oregon and Idaho told The Associated Press that it has suspended funding under Biden laws and fired 15 full-time employees. .
“It doesn’t make good business sense to continue running if we don’t know if we’ll receive the pay or if the administration will withdraw some of this at some point.” Project. He called it “a truly challenging situation.”
The California senators filed a job case in their letter. Some stated: “These fuel reduction projects will save lives and property, reduce the risks of firefighters, and return land to fire-compatible ecosystems that can better withstand threats to human life, communities, infrastructure and property. ”
During his first term as president, and since taking over his office last month, Trump has blamed California leaders on a devastating wildfire. After a 2018 camp fire destroyed much of California Paradise, Trump called for more “covering” the forest floor to prevent future fires.
Following this year’s Southern California fire, Trump made another claim that was heavily exposed by fire safety experts. Firefighters say the state’s environmental policies have wasted water, and the water is insufficient to absorb the flames of Altadena and Palisades.
Experts said there is no system designed to combat the huge fires that run into suburban neighborhoods, and no system can maintain pressure when almost every garden hose and fire hydrant are open at the same time.
In a letter to Trump administration officials, the House of Representatives said:
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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