The Department of the Interior Announces Permanent Pay Increase for Wildland Firefighters to Bolster the Nation’s Wildfire Response

Date: March 15, 2025
  Contact: Interior_Press@ios.doi.gov 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Department of the Interior announced today permanent pay increases for federal and tribal wildland firefighters across the United States. As wildfires grow larger and more destructive — threatening communities, livelihoods, and infrastructure — wildland fire personnel face growing demands. Improving firefighter pay will help address this challenge by enabling the department and tribes to hire and retain top employees in this critical field.

“Under President Trump’s leadership, we are taking decisive action to support the brave men and women who put their lives on the line to protect American communities from devastating wildfires.” said Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. “These firefighters endure extreme conditions and grueling work to safeguard our homes, businesses, and natural resources. This permanent pay increase ensures they are fairly compensated for their sacrifices and strengthens our ability to recruit and retain top-tier talent in this essential profession. The Trump administration remains committed to backing those who defend our great nation—whether in our military, law enforcement, or on the front lines of wildland firefighting.”

The permanent pay increases were included in the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 (H.R. 1968), which Congress passed on March 14 and President Donald J. Trump signed into law.

The legislation establishes new special salary pay tables for federal wildland firefighters at all levels, including temporary and seasonal employees. It also makes permanent Bureau of Indian Affairs funding for Tribal Nations to offer pay supplements to tribal wildland firefighters. This permanent increase replaces temporary pay supplements that firefighters had received over the last four years. In addition, the law creates wildland fire Incident Response Premium Pay, allowing all federal employees to earn extra pay for extended deployments to qualifying incidents.

Nearly 65,000 wildfires burned more than 8.9 million acres across the United States last year, endangering communities, critical infrastructure, and local economies. The trend of increasingly extreme and frequent wildfires has continued this year, with catastrophic fires in Southern California and the Southeast in recent weeks.

Continued investment in the wildland fire workforce is essential to protecting the public and reducing the risk of future catastrophic wildfires. The pay raises announced today will help the Interior Department recruit and retain the top talent needed to achieve these goals.

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