Paying almost 15,000 federal firefighters at least $15 an hour, following President Joe Biden's recently implemented pay initiatives, will help hire and maintain the nation's wildfire fighting force, Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said in an Aug. 17 news release.
Those firefighters are desperately needed in the face of global climate change, Haaland said in a joint news release with U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.
"As climate change brings longer fire seasons and more extreme fire behavior, we must remain steadfast in our commitment to wildland fire preparedness and response," Haaland said. "The brave women and men on the frontlines deserve fair pay for their work to protect our families, our communities, and our lands from the increasing threat of fire."
Paying them a living wage also makes it easier to recruit firefighters, Haaland said.
"By improving pay, we will not only support our wildland firefighters in a challenging year, but also improve our ability to hire and retain top talent," she said.
The approximately 3,500 Interior Department firefighters and more than 11,300 USDA Forest Service firefighters will see the bump in pay in their Aug. 24 paychecks, with back pay included dating back to June 30. The firefighters will also receive one-time monetary awards.
The money is coming from Biden's "Build Back Better Agenda" in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which includes $600 million for federal wildland firefighter salaries, expenses and development of a "wildland firefighter" classification series. The money is also supposed to pay for nature-based infrastructure restoration.
Vilsack referenced climate change as he stressed the importance of the pay increase.
"With the growing threat of climate change, severe droughts and longer, more intense fire years, we must have more resources to protect communities, infrastructure and the environment we all depend on," Vilsack said. "Supporting our brave firefighters with pay, benefits and career opportunities that reflect the importance and danger of the work that they do is critical to facing the mounting wildfire threat."
