THE DALLES — Forest Service workers fired amid last month’s federal cuts have been reinstated with back pay. A release from the USDA issued March 19 said the forest service is currently issuing a phased plan to return these employees to their previous positions, placing them on administrative leave.
“USDA is acting diligently to complete the administrative steps related to notifying the probationary employees of their reinstatement, ascertaining whether some of the probationary employees choose to resign, processing the reinstatements for purposes of all relevant USDA record systems, and returning the reinstated employees to duty status,” the statement said.
On Feb. 13-14, roughly 3,400 federal forestry workers with the United States Forest Service were fired, as recommended by President Donald Trump’s Office of Personnel Management. Two district court judges ordered federal agencies to reinstate probationary workers on March 13.
Wasco County Commissioner Phil Brady noted that cuts to USFS staff would have a direct impact on the county’s fire prevention efforts.
At a regular county board meeting on March 19, Commissioner Brady recounted his attendance at a community fire prevention meeting at the Wamic Grange put on by the Oregon Department of Forestry, the United States Forest Service and Wasco County Fire Prevention Coordinator Melissa Napoli.
“The U.S. Forest Service is down 11 staff members, and they were people who were doing the fire planning, so that is something that's affecting us directly,” he said.
According to the USDA release, these staff members have been re-hired but placed on administrative leave, meaning they are not currently functioning in any fire-prevention roles.
Columbia Gorge News spoke with Mt. Hood National Forest’s Public Affairs Officer Heather Ibsen, who declined to comment on or confirm the rehires of local staff, but passed along questions to the national office.
Brady noted that several wildfire prevention grants are available to residents, both those with homes on small lots and larger acreage.
“You've got to protect yourself by taking care of your land,” Brady said. “There are some funds available to help.”
Wasco County’s most severe recent wildfire was the Larch Creek Fire in July 2024 which burned more than 18,000 acres between Dufur and Tigh Valley.
“We are in the most dangerous area according to fire maps and our own experience,” Brady said.
Contact Wildfire Coordinator Melissa Napoli for more information about getting a wildfire defense grant to fire harden your property at 541-506-2591 or melissan@co.wasco.or.us.
South County residents can subscribe to updates about the Wasco County Community Defense Fund Project by filling out this form.
Commented