- On Tuesday,
Biden promised to raise the $13 hourly wage paid to many federal firefighters. - Federal firefighters are paid according to the Federal General Schedule payscale.
- In 2020, 70% of the nationwide acreage burned by wildfires was on federal lands.
President Joe Biden promised on Tuesday to increase the
"The last few days alone, we've seen droughts and wildfires in the West," said Biden. "I didn't realize this, I have to admit - that federal firefighters get paid $13 an hour. That's going to end in my administration."
Federal firefighters are paid according to the Federal General Schedule payscale. Entry-level pay is determined by "the level of difficulty, responsibility, and qualifications required" by the job.
Starting salaries may take education level, military experience, and location into consideration, ranging from $19,738 to $48,978. New Jersey, California, Washington, New York, and Hawaii are the top-paying states for firefighters.
Nationwide, the average yearly salary for federal firefighters is approximately $55,000, with local firefighters making slightly more at around $57,500. In 2019, the U.S. median household income was $68,703.
In the San Francisco Bay Area, a Forest Service
In the letter, Senators wrote that while the annual
In 2020, 70% of the nationwide acreage burned by wildfires was on federal lands.
The federal
The 2021 wildfire season is estimated to exceed last year's record number of fires. Biden will hold a meeting next week to discuss preparing the nation for heat, wildfires, and drought.