Firefighters sound alarm as US faces critical staffing shortage: ‘We don’t have enough people’
Summary
The US Forest Service (USFS) is facing a serious shortage of firefighters during a summer with many wildfires across the country. Firefighters say there are not enough staff or leaders to handle the workload, while the agency claims it is fully staffed. This gap is causing difficulties in fighting fires and puts extra pressure on the current crews.Key Facts
- The USFS manages over 193 million acres and handles most federal wildfire responses.
- Firefighters report there are significant shortages in staffing and leadership roles.
- Many firefighters worked over 1,000 hours of overtime last year, nearly five extra months of work.
- Firefighters have no backup crews, so they must work continuously without breaks.
- USFS chief Tom Schultz says the workforce is fully staffed and prepared.
- Internal data and firefighters suggest fewer staff are actually available than the USFS publicly reports.
- The agency has not shared detailed staffing numbers despite requests from the media and Congress.
- Recruitment and retention problems have worsened as wildfire risks increase due to climate change.
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