“It’s like crying wolf over and over again,” said Bobbi Scopa, with Grassroots Wildland Firefighters, an advocacy organization. Some 11,200 federal firefighters received a salary boost in 2021 of either $20,000 or 50% of their base pay under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Federal firefighters undergo rigorous training that is a step above what private, state and local crews teach. “Yet, federal wildland firefighters are frequently subjected to inconsistent compensation despite their essential role in protecting lives, communities, and wildlife. “It’s just unacceptable.”Frustrated by ongoing problems, federal firefighters have continued to leave the U.S. Forest Service for higher wages at state and local departments.

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Persons: “, ”, Bobbi Scopa, Steve Gutierrez, Donald Trump, Trump, Tim Sheehy, Brian Fennessy, Joe Biden, Mike Simpson, Lori Chavez, Simpson, “ They’re, ” Scopa, “ It’s, exoduses, ” Gutierrez Organizations: Grassroots, Firefighters, Law, U.S . Forest Service, National Federation of Federal Employees, Fox News, Republican, Orange County Fire Authority, ” Firefighters, Union, Idaho Rep, Interior Locations: U.S, California, Montana, Orange County