NFFE Wildland Fire

NFFE has been advocating on behalf of federal wildland firefighters for decades. In recent years, NFFE has hired former wildland firefighters to our staff and established new initiatives to better represent wildland firefighters. Since 2021, Congress and agency leaders have been more willing to work with our union to implement necessary changes, but there is still much work to be done. 

We are fighting for a permanent, competitive pay fix, enhanced mental health and physical wellbeing resources, adequate housing, and more.

On July 12, 2023, the Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act (WFPPA) was introduced in the U.S. Senate. While not a permanent solution to low pay, this emergency bill will help avoid a severe pay cliff for wildland firefighters when temporary retention pay from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act runs out. We encourage you to use our action network below to contact your representatives in Congress and urge them to cosponsor and pass the WFPPA.

Most issues wildland firefighters are facing can be solved with the Tim Hart Wildland Firefighter Pay Parity and Classification Act (Tim’s Act). We encourage you to use our action network below to contact your representatives in Congress and urge them to cosponsor and pass Tim's Act.

• 2023 Legislative Conference Issue Paper

• S. 2272 / H.R. 5169 - Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act (WFPPA)
  • Infographic on pay rates
• S. 1505 / H.R. 3108 - Tim Hart Wildland Firefighter Pay Parity and Classification Act (Tim’s Act)
  • Bill Summary

• Full Committee Hearing to Examine the Federal Response to Escalating Wildfires and to Evaluate Reforms to Land Management and Wildland Firefighter Recruitment and Retention
• Report from the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology: Modernizing Wildland Firefighting to Protect Our Firefighters
• Forest Service FY24 budget update

• Press Release: NFFE Applauds Bipartisan Bill to Prevent Fiscal Pay Cliff for Federal Wildland Firefighters
• News Story: NFFE Wildland Firefighters Meet with Over One Hundred Members of Congress to Advocate for Reforms
• Press Release: NFFE President Erwin: Congress Must Act Now to Avoid a Mass Exodus of Federal Wildland Firefighters
• News Story: An Update Regarding the Debt Ceiling Bill as it Relates to Wildland Firefighter and Federal Employee Pay
• News Story: NFFE and OWCP Director Godfrey Visit Missoula Smokejumper Base to Discuss Workers’ Comp Issues
• Press Release: NFFE Praises Reintroduction of the Tim Hart Act to Reform Federal Wildland Firefighter Pay and Working Conditions
• News Story: Cleveland National Forest Elects NFFE-IAM as Union Representative
• Video: NFFE Press Conference in Support of Federal Wildland Firefighters
• Press Release: NFFE President Erwin: Congress Must Make the Necessary Investment in our Federal Wildland Firefighters
• Press Release: NFFE President Erwin: Biden’s FY24 Budget Delivers Crucial Reforms for Federal Wildland Firefighters
• News Story: NFFE Files Unfair Labor Practice Charge Against Forest Service Over Wildland Firefighter Work Schedules
• Press Release: NFFE Claims Long-Fought Victory as Federal Firefighter Health and Safety Legislation Becomes Law
• Press Release: Victory Achieved in Long-fought Campaign for Injured First Responder Retirement Fix
• Press Release: Union Condemns Wrongful Arrest of U.S. Forest Service Employee for “Simply Doing His Job”
• News Story: NFFE Teams Up with Grassroots and the U.S. Hotshots Association on Letter to Biden and Agency Leaders
• News Story: NFFE Sets Organizing Record with Over 100 New Union Members in a Single Week
• News Story: NFFE Responds to USDA with Letter on Wildland Firefighter Retention Solutions
• News Story: NFFE Pens Letter Urging Senate to Introduce the Tim Hart Act
• News Story: USDA Secretary Vilsack Responds to NFFE Letters on Wildland Firefighter Pay, Job Series, and Housing
• News Story: First Responder Fair Retire Act Moves its Way through Senate Committee, Setting Up Floor Vote this Fall
• News Story: NFFE Advocacy Results in House Passing the First Responder Fair Retire Act 417 to 0!
• Press Release: NFFE Praises House for Passing the Wildfire Response and Drought Resiliency Act
• Press Release: Federal Wildland Firefighters Across U.S. to Receive Life-Changing Pay Increase
• Press Release: Federal Wildland Firefighters’ Union (NFFE) Calls on Biden Administration to Increase Firefighter Pay Nationwide, and Fast, or Face Disaster
• News Story: NFFE Wildland Firefighters Provide Input on New Classification Series in OPM-USDA Focus Group
• Press Release: NFFE Praises House for Passing the Federal Firefighter Fairness Act, H.R. 2499
• Press Release: NFFE Applauds Bipartisan Congressional Bloc Appeal for Wildland Firefighter Special Pay Rates and Staffing Problems
• Press Release: NFFE, IAFF Secure Critical Workers’ Compensation Program for Federal Firefighters
• Press Release: NFFE-IAM and Bipartisan Senate Bloc Push for Expedited Creation of Special Claims Unit to Process Firefighter Workers Comp Claims
• News Story: NFFE Pushes Firefighter Presumption Bill after Successful Hearing
• News Story: NFFE WFFs Call on Biden Administration Leadership to Adopt Significant Workforce Reforms
• News Story: NFFE Wildland Firefighters Urge White House to Increase Firefighter Pay
• News Story: NFFE Wildland Firefighters Rally Support for Tim’s Act in Congress
• News Story: VP Harris, USDA Secretary Vilsack Visit USFS Del Rosa Fire Station to Discuss Funding to Combat the Wildfire Crisis
• Press Release: NFFE Offers Testimony for Hearing on Wildland Firefighting Workforce Reforms
• Press Release: Union Backs Critical Legislation to Improve Pay, Benefits, and Support Programs for Wildland Firefighters
• News Story: President Biden Visits West Coast Amid “Code Red” Wildfire Crisis
• Press Release: NFFE Applauds Agencies for Implementing White House Pay Initiatives, Raising Federal Firefighter Pay to At Least $15 an Hour
• Press Release: NFFE Engages with the Biden-Harris Administration on Improvements to Wildland Firefighter Pay, Benefits, and Work-Life Balance
• Press Release: Nation’s Oldest Federal Employee Union Praises President Biden’s Actions to Address Low Wildland Firefighter Pay and the Growing Wildfire Threat
• News Story: NFFE Protects Wildland Firefighter Boot Stipend
• News Story: NFFE Applauds Bipartisan GAO Study of Federal Wildland Firefighting Pay and Career Paths

• Video: NFFE Business Rep Max Alonzo on News Nation Morning in America

• Video: NFFE Business Rep Steve Gutierrez on Fox 11 10pm News

• Video: NFFE Business Rep Steve Gutierrez on Fox 11 6pm News

• Video: Thousands of Federal Firefighters Could Quit Over Pay

• Wildland firefighters fear looming pay cuts amid labor shortage

• Firefighters are leaving the U.S. Forest Service for better pay and benefits

• Senators finally on board with firefighter pay

• Bipartisan wildland firefighter ‘pay cliff’ fix introduced in Senate

• Federal firefighters temporary pay raise goes permanent

• US firefighters raise concerns over looming pay cut

• Senate bill would safeguard wildland firefighter pay

• The national emergency no one’s talking about: Firefighters are quitting in droves. Here’s why.

• Senators Push to Make Wildland Firefighters’ Pay Raise Permanent, Pay Cliff Looms

• 15 weeks until federal firefighters face ‘pay cliff,’ warn Forest Service, Interior officials

• The ‘Pay Cliff’ That Could Cripple the Federal Government’s Firefighting Workforce

• Congressional Dems Reintroduce Bill to Revamp Federal Firefighter Pay and Benefits

• With time running out on a temporary pay raise, federal firefighters press Congress for a permanent one

• Union-organized event pressures Congress to make good on a $4 billion promise

• More Federal Firefighter Pay and Benefits Reforms Are Highlighted in the 2024 Budget

• It’s not just low pay causing retention issues for federal firefighters

• First Responder Retirement Bill Gets a Unanimous Senate Vote

• Tester, Collins’ bipartisan bill to support first responders headed to President’s desk

• Union takes a position on the arrest of a firefighter during a prescribed fire

• Smokejumper Seriously Injured on the Job, Diagnosed with Cancer

• A Union Is Calling on the Administration to Do More to Retain Federal Firefighters

• Wildland Firefighters Struggle To Keep Up With Raging Wildfires

• Transition of Federal wildland firefighters to new position descriptions encounters difficulties

• Stalled U.S. Forest Service project could have protected California town from Caldor Fire destruction

• Another Firefighter Compensation Bill Passes, and More

• Wildfire Firefighters Have a Tough Job — So Why Do They Make So Little Money?

• Labor shortage compounds firefighters’ staffing woes

• NFFE Letter on Improving Forest Service Housing

• Some Forest Service Employees Reduced to ‘Couch-Surfing’ for Housing, Says Union

• Union praises President Biden’s ‘life-changing’ pay increase for federal firefighters

• The Biden Team Announces Pay Raises of Up to $20,000 Annually for Federal Firefighters

• Under infrastructure law, federal firefighters to see increase in pay

• Federal Firefighter Groups Find Flaws in a Watchdog’s Conclusions on Recruitment, Retention Challenges

• Biden signs off on hefty pay raise for federal firefighters

• Federal firefighters are waiting for pay raises they hope will help fill their ranks

• Report that Forest Service firefighting positions in California are just 65% to 70% filled

• Fires Spread as Firefighters Plead for Pay Raise Promised Last Year

• Firefighters Union Calls for Higher Pay Amid Staffing Shortage

• U.S. House vote to expand federal firefighters benefits seen as step toward parity

• Analysis finds that federal wildland firefighters can’t afford to live in most Western counties

• The Forest Service Rushes to Hire Enough Firefighters Ahead of Wildfire Season

• Firefighters’ Injury Compensation Claims to Get Special Handling

• DOL to expedite claims filing process for 15,000 federal firefighters

• It’s Now Easier for Federal Firefighters to File for Workers Comp

• OWCP moves toward recognizing presumptive diseases for wildland firefighters

• Firefighters hopeful as U.S. government moves to speed up health claims

• NFFE-IAM Wildland Firefighters Call for Respect on Capitol Hill

• Wildland Firefighters Meet with Secretary of Labor

• Lawmakers Urge the Labor Dept. to Expedite Workers Compensation Claims from Federal Firefighters

• Firefighters, AG Employees Get A Pay bump

• Biden Signs Wildland Firefighter Pay Reform Into Law as Part of Infrastructure Package

• Rep. Neguse Introduces Bill to Raise Federal Firefighter Pay to $20/hour

• House Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Overhaul Federal Firefighter Pay, Benefits

• Boost in Pay Coming for 14,000 Federal Wildland Firefighters

• Interior, USDA to implement pay raises for federal firefighters later this month

• ‘They get really jaded’: Worker defections strain Feds’ wildfire crews

• Union Pushes for Wider Reforms for Federal Firefighters

• Union Urges Further Action to Improve Firefighter Pay

• Biden expands pay, hiring for federal firefighters, but union warns it’s not enough

• NFFE Engages with the Biden-Harris Administration on Improvements to Wildland Firefighter Pay, Benefits, and Work-Life Balance

• White House Moves to Bolster Wildland Firefighter Pay

• ‘Good First Step,’ federal firefighters say of $15 minimum wage increase

• ‘It’s just not reasonable’: Federal fire crews struggle to keep stations staffed in California

• Federal fire crews struggle to keep stations staffed in California

• How federal agencies are failing their wildland firefighters

• Union: Federal firefighters understaffed due to low wages