Bipartisan congressional group calls for bill to overhaul forest firefighter pay

A bipartisan group on Monday urged Congress to quickly pass legislation to raise the pay of federal wildfire firefighters ahead of the 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 Capitol to urge leaders to pass the Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act, which would make permanent a pay raise that was set to expire on Sept. 30. The bipartisan infrastructure law included a temporary pay raise in 2021. If the raise expires, wildland firefighters could lose up to 50 percent of their pay. Officials said the pay cut could cause thousands of firefighters to leave the federal workforce.

“Forest firefighters are the first line of defense for many in Southwest Washington, but their job is tough. They would rather spend their summers cutting down trees, digging lines and sleeping in tents in the heat. Their tireless dedication is an example to all of us and should continue to be honored through fair pay,” said Gluesenkamp Perez, a co-sponsor of the legislation. “With pay increases set to occur after sundown in September, we could lose thousands of firefighters who will face a difficult choice: pay their rent or continue to serve their communities. Congress must pass our bipartisan Firefighter Pay Protection Act to support our tireless forest 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 solve problems. Other members of Monday’s group agreed on the importance of making the increase permanent.

“Maintaining a strong federal firefighter workforce is critical — and if firefighters are unable to financially support themselves and their families, we cannot expect them to support our communities through the often life-saving services they provide. Retaining the workforce is especially important in the First District because the UP and Northern Michigan are home to three National Forests: Ottawa, Hiawatha and Huron-Manistee,” Bergman said. “This legislation, H.R. 5169, will effectively codify a higher pay scale, permanently increasing federal firefighter pay and giving them the recognition they deserve.”