Wildland firefighter program in peril 

From severe staffing issues to outdated planning processes, the U.S. Forest Service wildland firefighting program is in need of drastic changes. That's according to a first-of-its-kind report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which is the parent organization of the Forest Service.

The report includes nearly 150 recommendations, including increasing the use of prescribed burns to reduce the risk of megafires, improving community resiliency through fire-smart construction and retrofitting, modernizing tools and technology used to fight fire, and increasing pay and resources for firefighters and other staff.

The wildland firefighting program has long struggled with employee recruitment and retention. And while there has been some movement in Congress to permanently increase pay for wildland firefighters following a temporary hourly pay raise in the 2021 Infrastructure Law, dispatchers say they are being left out. A recent investigation by High Country News found there is a severe shortage of wildland fire dispatchers in Region 6, which covers Oregon and Washington. It found a lack of mental health resources and inadequate pay are driving the shortage, which threatens the functionality of the entire wildland firefighting program.

“We are dealing with just as much shit, if not more, than the folks on the line,” an anonymous dispatcher told High Country News.“Take care of us. That is all we ask.”

Quick hits

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Washington Post

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WyoFile

Study: Carbon sequestration projects that don’t prioritize biodiversity may do more harm than good

Inside Climate News

Utah missed out on millions in royalties from oil and gas, group argues

Salt Lake Tribune

Poll: Americans are fine with living near solar and wind farms

Washington Post

Arizona moves to end lease for controversial Saudi-owned farm

Arizona Republic | New York Times 

Nez Perce Tribe in Idaho wants to give wolves to Colorado

9News

Is the middle class being priced out of Yellowstone? 

Montana Free Press

Quote of the day

I’m not afraid to do what my predecessors refused to do—hold people accountable, maximize value for the state land trust, and protect Arizona’s water future... It’s unacceptable that Fondomonte has continued to pump unchecked amounts of groundwater out of our state while in clear default on their lease.”

—Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs, Arizona Republic

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