USDA Forest Service ‘Hiring Woes’

The Biden Administration’s 10-year wildfire mitigation plan, while applauded by many agriculture and environmental advocates, has raised concerns about the lack of USDA Forest Service staffing needed to carry it out.  Forest Service officials are reportedly  warning employees in California that there have been 50 percent fewer applications submitted for the necessary firefighting positions this year compared to last. Regional Forest Service officials from across the Western fire regions face “a particularly bleak hiring picture.” Additionally, housing for wildland firefighters has resurfaced as a major issue going into the summer. While Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has previously mentioned working with Airbnb to provide housing, USDA said there’s no formal partnership, and only four employees used housing offers from Airbnb hosts during the summer of 2021.