US Forest Service now fully staffed for summer's wildland fire season, exceeding initial hiring targets with 11,550 seasonal staff being trained or deployed. This comes after recent pay raises and is seen as a positive step despite the agency facing significant downsizing under President Trump's administration. However, some state officials and former employees express concerns over the potential consequences of reduced staffing on responding to major wildfires, citing a shortage of elite incident command teams and trained staff. The Forest Service Chief remains confident in its preparedness for the season.
Original Article Source Link:
https://www.npr.org/2026/06/17/nx-s1-5855760/as-western-fires-erupt-trumps-forest-service-says-its-now-fully-staffed