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Grassroots Wildland Firefighters vice president Lucas Mayfield and advocate Michelle Hart come on The Landscape to talk about what it’s like to be a wildland firefighter and what the federal government can do to attract new people to the profession. Michelle is the widow of fallen firefighter Tim Hart, who died while fighting a fire in New Mexico last summer. Lucas served as a federal firefighter with the Forest Service for 18 years.
They talk about historic, but temporary, increases to firefighter pay and benefits announced by the White House this week, as well as legislation called Tim’s Act—after Michelle’s husband—that would make those changes permanent, in addition to providing comprehensive mental and physical health coverage, housing assistance, retirement savings, and more.
News
Tribes to jointly manage Bears Ears National monument – New York Times
Yellowstone National Park partially reopens after floods – NPR
Federal firefighter pay increase fact sheet – USDA
Tim’s Act factsheet – Grassroots Wildland Firefighters
Major water cutbacks to come for Colorado River states – Los Angeles Times
Hosts: Aaron Weiss & Kate Groetzinger
Feedback: podcast@westernpriorities.org
Music: Purple Planet
Photo: USDA, Flickr
