Biden to raise federal firefighter pay to $15 an hour as extreme draught plagues West

President Joe Biden is slated to raise federal firefighter pay to $15 an hour and offer new retention incentives as the country prepares for the upcoming wildfire season.

In the midst of a historic heatwave creating prime conditions for a historic wildfire season, President Joe Biden is slated to raise federal firefighter pay to at least $15 an hour and offer new retention incentives amid turnover, according to a senior administration official, as the White House seeks to boost its wildfire preparedness. "Because of climate change, wildland firefighting is no longer a seasonal endeavor," said a fact sheet from the White House. Biden discussed the plans on Wednesday while meeting virtually with governors from Western states, Cabinet officials and partners from the private sector to discuss wildfire preparedness. He began by invoking the devastating images from last year.