Southern California Suffers from Devastating Wildfires Outside of Typical Season

Southern California has recently experienced one of the most destructive wildfires in its history, occurring outside of the typical wildfire season for the region. The state is now facing conditions that could heighten the risk of further flames, making it essential to have a well-prepared workforce. Unfortunately, California will not be able to rely on the federal government for assistance due to President Donald Trump’s executive order that placed a hiring freeze on federal workers.

Federal Government’s Inability to Assist

The hiring freeze, which was signed on January 20, applies to seasonal firefighters, meaning the government will not be ramping up its staff to prepare for future blazes. However, the order does offer an exemption to positions related to "public safety," but somehow, firefighters do not fall under this category. According to NBC News, the Bureau of Land Management has been instructed to "hold all offers related to fire positions," effectively halting the hiring process for seasonal firefighters.

Impact on Wildfire Response

Typically, the Bureau of Land Management hires 15,000 full-time and temporary firefighters to provide fuel management, combat wildland fires, and assist in regions experiencing emergency conditions. Some BLM offices were already in the process of hiring their summer workforce when the order was issued, but the freeze has put a stop to it. The hiring process for federal positions often involves an extensive background check, which requires offices to start early to have staff in place for wildfire season.

Exacerbating the Situation

The situation is further complicated by the deferred resignation offer extended by the Trump administration to its federal workforce, including firefighters. This offer allows federal employees to resign with pay through September, which landed in the inboxes of firefighters just after they finished helping to contain the California wildfires. It is unclear how many firefighters took the offer, but any at all would represent a blow to a workforce that is already understaffed and lacks support due to the hiring freeze.

California’s Efforts to Address the Shortage

In response to the growing threats of wildfires, California is looking to turn its seasonal staff of firefighters into full-time employees. A bill introduced earlier this week would extend 3,000 temporary hires into full-time state employees. The state also uses the labor of nearly 1,000 incarcerated people who are tasked with serving as firefighters while being paid as little as $5.80 per day. However, at this stage, the region needs a lot more help than that, and it just won’t be coming from the Trump administration.