Federal data shows gaps in US wildland firefighter workforce

ProPublica has reported that internal US Forest Service records show thousands of wildland firefighter positions remain unfilled despite public claims from the Trump administration that it has met its hiring goals.

According to the outlet, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said last month that the administration had reached 96% of its hiring target and was ahead of previous years.

Rollins made the statement to Western governors while emphasising that wildland firefighters had been exempted from a federal hiring freeze.

ProPublica said the Forest Service has since stated it has achieved 99% of its hiring goal. However, internal data obtained by the publication shows more than 4,500 firefighting jobs were vacant as of 17 July, representing up to 27% of the workforce.

The figures cited by ProPublica reportedly exclude staff departures from this spring, including resignations, early retirements and layoffs from the Department of Government Efficiency. The outlet said these gaps have reduced the capacity of the wildland firefighting force.

A Forest Service employee told ProPublica the vacancy data was based on information provided by administrators and reflected desired staffing levels. The Department of Agriculture has disputed this characterisation.

Field reports support vacancy data

ProPublica reported that anecdotal evidence from wildland firefighters in multiple states supported the internal data. In California, a survey by Forest Service fire managers indicated that 26% of engine captain roles and 42% of engineer positions were unfilled.

A veteran firefighter in California told the outlet the administration’s estimate of its firefighting workforce was “grossly inaccurate”.

Former Forest Service fire chief Riva Duncan also told ProPublica that staffing challenges were ongoing, with some engines entirely without crew.

The chief of the Forest Service, Tom Schultz, sent a letter to senior officials last week acknowledging limited resources.

In the letter obtained by ProPublica, Schultz directed the use of full suppression strategies but said staff capacity was insufficient to fully implement them.

Schultz wrote that all options were being considered, including reassigning human-resources personnel to firefighting duties and asking recently departed qualified staff to return.

Federal agencies cite different definitions of staffing

ProPublica reported that when asked about differences between Schultz’s letter and Rollins’ public statements, a Forest Service spokesperson said Schultz was referring to all personnel who could be mobilised to assist, while Rollins’ figures related only to full-time firefighters.

The spokesperson said the agency remained “fully equipped and operationally ready to protect people and communities from wildfire”.

They added that some separated employees retained firefighting qualifications and were supporting operations.

The Department of the Interior, which oversees 5,800 wildland firefighters across four agencies, has also faced cuts.

An employee at a Colorado national park told ProPublica they were understaffed during the Biden administration and conditions had worsened.

ProPublica reported that former officials said the Forest Service has used selective counting to present a more positive view of staffing levels for many years.

Administration policies and staffing changes

In March, Congress approved a permanent pay increase for federal wildland firefighters.

Rollins credited President Trump for the measure, describing it as recognition for service.

However, ProPublica reported that in February the administration laid off around 700 employees supporting wildland fire operations, many of whom held firefighting qualifications.

Some were rehired, but deferred resignations and early retirements followed.

In July, President Trump issued an executive order to merge the firefighting forces of the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior.

The Department of the Interior told ProPublica the aim was to reduce bureaucracy, but the future structure is unclear.

Internal data reviewed by ProPublica indicated that about 1,600 of more than 4,000 staff who left in recent months had firefighting credentials.

The Department of Agriculture gave a lower figure of 1,400 and said 85 had returned for the season.

Loss of specialist knowledge

ProPublica said the departures included meteorologists who provided seasonal fire weather forecasts.

Charles Maxwell, a meteorologist with over 20 years’ experience in New Mexico, left earlier than planned due to concerns over service disruption.

Maxwell told ProPublica that his work was being covered by replacements from out of state, though a firefighter in New Mexico said his local knowledge had been missed.

The Department of the Interior said it does not comment on personnel matters.

The outlet noted that monsoon season had brought varied weather impacts to New Mexico, including flooding in Ruidoso and patchy rainfall in Gila National Forest.

Relevance for fire and safety professionals

This report indicates that official workforce statistics may not always reflect the operational capacity available during fire season.

Fire and safety professionals can draw lessons from the effects of staffing definitions, data transparency and workforce retention on incident response.

The findings suggest that workforce reductions can affect not only front-line crews but also support roles with operational qualifications.

These changes can influence resource deployment and strategic decisions during active incidents.

The reported loss of experienced specialists highlights the importance of succession planning and knowledge transfer in maintaining operational readiness.

Federal data shows gaps in US wildland firefighter workforce: Summary

ProPublica reported that US Forest Service internal data shows more than 4,500 firefighter jobs vacant as of 17 July.

The vacancies account for up to 27% of the workforce.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins previously said the administration had reached 96% of its hiring goal.

The Forest Service later claimed it had achieved 99% of the target.

The Department of Agriculture disputes the internal vacancy data.

Surveys in California showed 26% of engine captain and 42% of engineer posts vacant.

Former and current officials told ProPublica that staffing shortages affect operations.

In February, about 700 support staff with firefighting qualifications were laid off.

President Donald Trump ordered the merger of federal firefighting forces in July.

Specialist meteorologists have also left, affecting forecasting capabilities.