Low morale, staffing woes and health worries are among the top issues shared by hundreds of federal wildland firefighters who responded to a recent survey.
The advocacy group Grassroots Wildland Firefighters, in partnership with the National Federation of Federal Employees union, conducted the anonymous survey of more than 800 firefighters in March. The results were released in June.
Roughly three-quarters of respondents said that in the last year they had considered leaving the profession. Only 11% would recommend the work to others without reservation, and double that figure would not recommend it at all, the survey showed. Many worried that crews are insufficiently staffed to respond to wildfires.
Asked for responses, both the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Wildland Fire Service said they do not comment on specific surveys from outside groups. However, both agencies issued general responses.
“We are committed to supporting our workforce and maintaining open communication with employees across the organization,” a written comment from the U.S. Wildland Fire Service read.
“What matters is whether firefighters have the resources, leadership, and support they need heading into fire season—and they do,” a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Agriculture – the parent agency of the Forest Service – wrote.
The agency noted that they hired more than 11,550 firefighters for this season, “reaching its staffing target earlier than any year since 2022.”
“USDA has also implemented permanent firefighter pay reforms, strengthened career advancement opportunities, and prioritized operational readiness across the agency,” the statement continued.
The organizations that conducted the survey said that respondents with the “strongest grievances” could be overrepresented.
For a few years, the U.S. Forest Service has conducted its own twice-annual survey of firefighter concerns and well-being called the Firefighter Pulse-check. In May, the USWFS confirmed to the Mountain West News Bureau that Interior Department fire personnel would also begin participating.
Bobbie Scopa, Grassroots’ vice president, acknowledged that reforms in recent years have improved the situation.
“We got them the permanent pay raise, we've got the correct job titles for them, we're recognizing the health problems,” she said. “But it's like a tidal wave of tough conditions that we're expecting our firefighters to deal with.”
“We've got a long ways to go still,” she added.
Despite the findings, Scopa said, “I don't want this to look like an indictment of the current folks running the fire program.”
“This problem has developed over the last 30, 40, 50 years,” she explained. “And it's going to take a concerted effort to change it.”
Scopa spoke approvingly of recent proposals to ease the burden of wildfire work, like adding personnel to crews to allow for the previously unthinkable: vacation during the punishing fire season:
“That's exactly the kind of thing that we need to start exploring and implementing,” she said.
This story was produced by the Mountain West News Bureau, a collaboration between Boise State Public Radio, Wyoming Public Media, Nevada Public Radio, KUNR in Nevada, KUNC in Northern Colorado, KANW in New Mexico, Colorado Public Radio and KJZZ in Arizona as well as NPR, with support from affiliate newsrooms across the region. Funding for the Mountain West News Bureau is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Eric and Wendy Schmidt.
