On Monday, a bipartisan group called for Congress to swiftly pass legislation to raise the pay for federal wildland firefighters in advance of wildfire season.
U.S. Reps. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA), Joe Neguse (D-CO), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), and Jack Bergman (R-MI), met with wildland firefighters at the Capital to urge leaders to pass the Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act which would make permanent a pay raise scheduled to expire on Sept. 30. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provided a temporary pay raise in 2021. If the pay raise expires, wildland firefighters could see their pay cut by as much as 50 percent. Officials said the pay cut could result in thousands of firefighters leaving the federal workforce.
“Wildland firefighters are the first line of defense for many across Southwest Washington, but their jobs are tough. They choose to spend their summers felling trees, digging lines, and sleeping in tents in sweltering heat. Their tireless self-sacrifice is an example to all of us, and it should continue to be honored through fair compensation,” said Gluesenkamp Perez, co-sponsor of the legislation. “With pay raises due to sunset in September, we could lose thousands of firefighters as they face a difficult choice of covering rent or continuing to serve their community. Congress needs to pass our bipartisan Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act to support our tireless wildland firefighters and protect the rural communities they help defend.”
Gluesenkamp Perez is a member of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus. She has previously worked with firefighters to address issues. Other members of Monday’s group agreed on the importance of making the pay raise permanent.
“Maintaining a strong federal firefighter workforce is critical – and if firefighters can’t support themselves and their families financially, we can’t expect them to support our communities through the often life-saving services they provide. Workforce retention is particularly important in the First District, as the U.P. and Northern Michigan are home to three National Forests: Ottawa, Hiawatha, and Huron-Manistee,” Bergman said. “This legislation, H.R. 5169, would effectively codify a higher pay scale, permanently increasing federal firefighter salaries and giving them the appreciation they deserve.”