The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) will fire at least 3,400 employees across the nation – likely impacting forest workers in Wyoming.
According to Politico reporting Thursday night, the news organization was tipped off by two sources familiar with the plans. It was also confirmed by the Forest Service Council, a national union of USFS workers, according to Bloomberg reporting. This comes a day after the Trump administration’s “fork in the road” deadline where federal workers were encouraged to resign, but remain on payroll until September.
It’s not immediately clear which forests will have firings or who is specifically fired. But at least four sources told Wyoming Public Radio (WPR) Thursday night that forests within the state are bracing for more information and likely impacts the next day, Feb. 14.
“It’s also important to understand that these firings affect real people, committed community members who happen to be our neighbors and friends,” Wyoming Outdoor Council’s (WOC) Program Director Alec Underwood told WPR.
Politico reports the firings will focus on employees still within their probationary period – meaning recently hired. It’ll also target those working on road and trail maintenance, timber production, watershed restoration and wildfire prevention support – although it appears firefighters and other public safety workers are safe for now.
Underwood said the country should be reinvesting in the USFS’s workforce, especially after budget shortfalls and pauses on seasonal employee hirings were announced last fall.
“The firing of thousands of forest employees will certainly be felt by public land users, and potentially lead to closures of campgrounds and roads,” he said. “It will also impact the agency’s ability to proactively address fire risk.”
Notably, Wyoming is coming off a devastating fire season with over 850,000 acres burned. Fighting the fires fully wiped out the state’s funds to do so and the legislature is debating whether to replenish those funds .
Underwood added that outdoor recreation is booming in Wyoming, so there’s a need for USFS jobs that maintain trails, campgrounds and other infrastructure.
The Winter Wildlands Alliance echoed a similar sentiment to WPR Thursday night.
“While we are still waiting to know specifics, this action will have serious, negative repercussions for National Forests,” said Hilary Eisen, Winter Wildlands Alliance policy director. “This will directly impact the millions of Americans who visit National Forests each year.”
Eisen added that the repercussions could also be felt in processing special use permits, improving fish and wildlife habitat and combating weeds.
The USFS employs about 35,000 people. The firings will reduce it by about 10 percent.
There are eight national forests in Wyoming making up over nine million acres. This includes the Bridger-Teton, Bighorn, Ashley, Black Hills, Caribou-Targhee, Medicine Bow-Routt, Shoshone and Uinta-Wasatch-Cache.
