Colorado officials warn that firing of 3,400 U.S. Forest Service employees could impact state economy, wildfire safety

Colorado officials are raising concern that a Trump Administration decision to fire about 3,400 U.S. Forest Service employees will have negative effects on the state’s economy and lessen wildfire protections.

Gov. Jared Polis said in a statement Friday, Feb. 14, that at least 90 employees in Colorado have been fired as part of the broader cuts the Trump Administration is making to the federal workforce.

“It’s reckless endangerment to Coloradans,” Polis said, noting that the cuts could increase homeowner insurance costs as the Trump Administration takes “a hammer to those who help protect us against wildfires through watershed protection and forest management.”

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Certain firefighting and public safety positions were spared from the cuts. But other Forest Service jobs that do important wildfire prevention work such as road maintenance, forest management and watershed restoration were slashed, “tipping the scale toward more fire danger with potentially devastating consequences,” Polis said.

Trump Administration earlier this month issued an executive order that directs the heads of federal agencies to shrink the size of the federal workforce and limit hiring to essential positions. POLITICO first reported Thursday, Feb. 13, that the Forest Service planned to fire 3,400 federal employees in response to the executive order. The move reportedly targets probationary employees.

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The Trump Administration has said that its Department of Government Efficiency is aiming to reduce the size and scope of the federal government in an effort to make the federal workforce “more efficient and effective.”

Probationary employees are often recent hires to an agency or a long-serving employee who was moved or promoted to a new position, and the probationary status typically lasts one to two years, according to reporting by NPR.

Members of the Colorado congressional delegation in Washington, D.C., also penned a letter Friday to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins calling for the department to reinstate the Forest Service employees that have been fired. U.S. Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper as well as U.S. Reps. Joe Neguse, Brittany Pettersen and Jason Crow signed onto the letter.

“These public servants not only maintain the health of our headwaters and wildlife habitat but help keep our communities safe by decreasing the risk of wildfire destroying homes and critical infrastructure,” the letter states. “They put out campfires, clean trails, clean bathrooms, and manage trailheads. They also help businesses with the permitting process to use Forest Service lands, including grazers, guides, outfitters, ski resorts, and oil, gas and mining operations.”

U.S. Forest Service service employees have a “huge” return for investment, with visitation data showing that national forests produce nearly $400,000 in economic activity for each Forest Service employee, according to the letter. The letter notes that the firings are in addition to a nation-wide hiring freeze on all non-fire seasonal employees at the Forest Service.

The Forest Service workforce is already nearly 30% smaller than it was three decades ago, according to the letter, which states that lawmakers have heard Coloradans concerns about “chronic understaffing” at the agency for years.

The Forest Service manages 193 million acres of forests and grasslands nationwide, including nine National Forests and two National Grasslands in Colorado, according to the letter. The letter states that the staff reductions “will stretch the agency to its breaking point and place enormous burden on Colorado communities.”

“The decision to terminate these employees reveals a complete disregard for the value of these public servants and the roles they fill,” the lawmakers wrote. “The decision will destabilize the agency and the rural communities they serve. Therefore, we urge you to reinstate these employees immediately.”