After smelling smoke all day Saturday from several wildfires in western North Carolina, it was a relief to have a bit of rain Sunday morning. We had a wildfire threatening the farm years ago and I remember how scary it was and how local residents and members of the Forest Service worked to contain and at last put out the fire.
Remember when the orange guy blamed California for their wildfires because they didn't do the proper maintenance, like raking leaves? Well, that same orange guy and his Department of Governmental Efficiency (what a joke that name is) have fired thousands of Forest Service personnel and enacted a hiring freeze. (Good article HERE.) And in this hottest and driest of times,wildfires are burning nationwide more than ever with fewer resources to fight them.
Dear Sen./Rep. __________,As wildfires fill the air with smoke, I wonder if you are on board with the administration's hiring freeze and firing of over three thousand Forest Service employees--those same folks who work to control wildfires. The willful blindness of many politicians and the so-called DOGE to the problems of those of us who aren't millionaires or billionaires is on display everywhere--cutting staff at the Social Security offices and saying that only a fraudster would complain if her SS check were late is one egregious example.So, where do you stand?
