As US wildfires rage, Trump staff cuts force firefighters to clean toilets, critics say

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Reuters

July 21, 2025 5:07 PM EDT Updated 11 hours ago


July 21 (Reuters) - The U.S. Forest Service faced criticism from current and former employees who say federal workforce reductions under the Trump administration have left fire teams understaffed, as the country grapples with decade-high U.S. wildfire numbers this year. The agency, which oversees the nation's largest wildland firefighting force, rejected those claims, saying it has sufficient resources.

However, more than a dozen active and retired U.S. Forest Service employees told Reuters the agency is struggling to fill critical roles after approximately 5,000 employees - roughly 15% of its workforce - quit in the past five months.

Accounts from firefighters in Oregon and New Mexico, as well as a fire chief recruiting support staff in the Pacific Northwest, said the vacancies have led to personnel held back from supporting frontline firefighting because of administrative duties.

The crew leader on an Oregon blaze said her team went hungry for several days, ran short of medical supplies, and had to scrounge for chainsaw fuel after support staff quit the agency during two rounds of "fork in the road" buyouts. "I had guys who were going to bed hungry after working 16 hours," said the crew leader on the Alder Springs Fire, who asked not to be named for fear of losing her job.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/us-wildfires-rage-trump-staff-cuts-force-firefighters-clean-toilets-critics-say-2025-07-21/

[AZJonnie]

1. SEEMS like there would be pushback from insurance companies over this deluge of cost cutting for the free (to them)

federal services that THEIR business models must depend upon? I suppose they could be registering their complaints in ways that are unknown to us, but it seems like they, out of all the important, large industries, would be the most pissed off at what IQ47 is cutting.

Then again, the regime is probably telling them "don't worry about it, just stiff everybody, no policy holder is going to be able to do shit about it when you do, we're making sure of that by gutting all the regulations and the watchdogs!"

[BoRaGard]

2. G.O.P. is a disgrace

so incompetent and untruthful. A disgrace

[bdamomma]

3. They are

literally burning down everything. This has got to stop, this is our country!!!