Biden admin to boost federal firefighter pay to $15 an hour ahead of 2021 wildfire season, officials say

The Biden Administration will announce a new investment in federal firefighting personnel, providing retention incentives and raising firefighter pay “to ensure no firefighter makes less than $15 an hour,” an administration official said Wednesday before President Biden’s meeting with with western governors and members of his Cabinet to discuss the 2021 wildfire season.

Senior administration officials said that the president will ask participants of the meeting what additional resources they need and what actions can be taken "immediately" to protect communities, improve emergency preparedness and the "growing wildfire threats," which officials say are "being fueled by climate change and the devastating intersection of severe drought and extreme heat that is impacting western communities."  "It’s ridiculous that federal firefighters get paid $13 an hour, and we are going to change that," the official added. "We will be providing bonuses to those working on the front lines while working with Congress to get a better deal long term because firefighters must be fairly paid for the grueling, risky work that they are willing to take on."