Protecting the firefighters risking their lives

For decades, the U.S. Forest Service hasn't properly protected its firefighter crews — sending them into toxic smoke without proper masks or warnings about the risks of smoke inhalation.

Too many firefighters put their lives on the line, only to be left without the support, protection, or resources they deserve. That's unacceptable.

Now, Trump's Department of Agriculture is considering closing the Forest Service's Region 6 headquarters in Portland and the Pacific Northwest Research Station in Corvallis. These closures would gut our wildfire response capacity, cripple long-term scientific research, and abandon hundreds of expert staff at the very moment we're facing longer, more destructive fire seasons.

Forests cover over half of Oregon — more than 15.6 million acres. They support over 62,000 family-wage jobs. And they are central to the health of our communities and our planet. Closing these offices would undermine both our ability to fight today's wildfires and prepare for the future. The Forest Service is already stretched thin, and the last thing we should be doing is making it harder for our firefighters to succeed.

That's why I led my Democratic colleagues to demand answers from USDA and press them to reverse course. And, earlier this week, we learned that our efforts were successful; the Forest Service reversed course and will now allow firefighters to wear masks while fighting fires.

We need to protect our forests. We need to protect our communities. And we absolutely must protect the firefighters risking their lives to defend both.

Onward!

Jeff