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• forest service
• firefighters
• pay cut

By Mark Moran - Producer-Editor, Contact - News

Big Sky Connection - A substantial pay raise for Montana's wildland firefighters could expire this week if Congress does not extend federal spending. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law made more than $600 million available to boost the wages of more than 11,000 firefighters, among the nation's most dangerous occupations. Comments from Jonathon Golden, legislative director, Grassroots Wildland Firefighters.

Click on the image above for the audio. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law included $600 million to boost salaries for 11,200 wildland firefighters in the U.S. for two years. (Adobe Stock)

Mark Moran

December 18, 2024 - Montana's wildland firefighters face a drastic pay cut at the end of this week without congressional action.

Nationwide, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law made $600 million available to boost wages for more than 11,000 firefighters. The law gave Interior Department or Forest Service employees an annual raise of either $20,000 or a 50% base salary increase.

Wildland firefighters can make as little as $15 an hour doing one of the country's most dangerous jobs.

Jonathon Golden, legislative director for the advocacy group Grassroots Wildland Firefighters, described the pay raise as a game changer.

"That really sent a message and a signal to the workforce that they were acknowledged for their hard work, their dedication, their sacrifice," Golden explained. "That hard work also includes the off season when they are recovering."

Federal spending is set to expire at the end of this week. Congress could pass a continuing resolution to keep the government funded into the new year, which would cover the firefighter pay raise.

Golden's group said rather than needing biennial approval, Congress should make the federal wildland firefighting increases permanent. In addition to pay raises, more permanence would also allow crews to prepare and budget for future fire seasons, which Golden pointed out are becoming longer and more costly to fight.

"We need those preparedness budgets and the wages, salaries and expenses budgets as well to also increase," Golden urged. "Because that's the stuff that gets those firefighters out on the line, prepared and ready to go to fight the increasingly dangerous fires."

Golden and other advocates are pushing to bring federal wildland firefighter pay closer to the wages of state fire personnel, which in some cases are much higher.