Forest Service has thousands of unfilled jobs as wildfire season worsens

Wednesday, July 23, 2025

A wildfire burning in California earlier this year, Forest Service, USDA via Flickr

The U.S. Forest Service claims it is fully staffed for this year's fire season, which is already well underway. However, an investigation by ProPublica has found that the Forest Service's claims that it is on track to meet or even exceed hiring goals for firefighting fail to account for resignations and early retirements prompted by the Department of Government Efficiency's efforts earlier this year.

According to data obtained by ProPublica, which is supported by anecdotal accounts across Western states, as many as 27 percent of firefighting jobs remained vacant as of last week. In an internal memo by Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz, obtained by ProPublica, Schultz admitted that 2025 was proving to be an "extremely challenging" fire year. "We know the demand for resources outpaces their availability," Schultz wrote in the memo.

In the aftermath of the DOGE cuts, the Forest Service has attempted to coax fired workers and early retirees, many of whom held "red cards" indicating their firefighting qualifications, to return to firefighting jobs. Many of these workers have been reluctant to return to such jobs that were already extremely demanding before the instability of the Trump administration, leaving the Forest Service understaffed and underprepared heading into peak wildfire season.

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@whitesandsnps

Tired of boring or scary looking bugs? Want something with pizzazz and purpose? Well, we’ve got just the bug for you! Say hello to the White Sands Weevil!

This tiny desert dweller is easy to overlook because of its size, but once you spot its bulbous eyes and elongated snout, you’ll see why it’s a favorite among rangers. Its comical appearance often earns a chuckle, but this little insect helps support the balance of life in the dune field.

One of its most prominent and silly looking features is its elongated snout called a probiscis. The weevil’s probiscis is equipped with specialized chewing mouthparts located at its tip. These mouthparts enable the beetle to consume a variety of plant materials from the desert floor including stems, leaves, seeds, and roots. Through this feeding behavior, the weevil contributes to the regulation of plant growth and facilitates nutrient cycling within the gypsum-rich soils of the dune field.

Weevils belong to one of the largest beetle families, Curculionidae, with over 60,000 species found worldwide. While some are known as agricultural pests, many weevils are essential contributors to healthy ecosystems.

Here’s how:

♻️Nutrient Cycling: By feeding on plant material and decomposing organic matter, weevils help release nutrients back into the soil, supporting plant growth.

🌻Pollination: Some weevils are specialized pollinators, forming close relationships with specific plants and aiding in their reproduction.

🌱Seed Dispersal: Certain species help spread seeds, promoting plant diversity.

🕸️Food Web Support: Weevils serve as prey for birds, reptiles, and other insects, making them a key link in desert food chains.

Though modest in size, the weevil plays a vital role in sustaining the intricate web of life here at White Sands. The weevil is your reminder that even the smallest creatures carry immense ecological weight!

NPS Photo/ Payton Szwackowski