Each year, the federal government spends about $3 billion fighting wildfires. And this season is off to a rough start.
Jessica Davison is a former wildland firefighter and the owner of Firebreak Management, a fire mitigation services company, in Bozeman, Montana.
Companies backed by private equity have bought up the software used by most fire departments, causing sharp price increases.
But two of them have started nonprofits to help others navigate the process.
Federal firefighters make as little as $15 an hour. A permanent boost has bipartisan support, but it’s tied up in Congress’ budget fight.
Funds earmarked for the force’s temporary raise last year are running out, as firefighters deal with longer wildfire seasons and more severe fires caused by climate change.
The U.S. Forest Service has a military team it uses as backup to fight fires.
With a pay raise funded by the infrastructure bill stuck in bureaucratic morass, the agency is struggling to staff up to the full force it needs.
The need for firefighters is greater than ever. But the federal government is having a hard time finding recruits.
Fire decimates the neighborhood where they both grew up.
