February 21, 2025 - edited, original article from The Union
As of yesterday, the U.S. Forest Service is expected to have fired roughly 3,400 federal employees across every level of the agency. Cuts have reportedly hit close to home as individuals working within the Tahoe National Forest have also lost their jobs. The move is in response to President Donald Trump and his administration’s plan to shrink the U.S. federal government.
Residents in Nevada County have been wondering how or if the cuts will affect the approaching wildfire season. Comments on social media have speculated the depth of those cuts and that they have eroded an entire Hotshot crew. Officials confirmed this week that no firefighting crews — including local Hotshot crews — have been impacted, though a public information officer has been let go. A Hotshot, or Interagency Hotshot Crew (IHC), is a highly trained group of firefighters who respond to the most dangerous wildland fires. They are considered one of the most elite firefighting teams in the world.
Lauren Faulkenberry, Public Affairs Officer for the Tahoe National Forest (TNF) has not made herself available for comment this week.
D’artanyan Ratley, Region 5 Public Affairs Officer for the Forest Service (USDA) has not returned requests for comment as of press time. “We just can’t speak yet,” Heather Noel, Acting Supervisor at the Tahoe National Forest in Nevada City said this week regarding which positions within the TNF have been let go.
“It’s a one stop shop right now for that so that everybody gets up to date information,” Noel said. “We’re getting information — the numbers — many times like you are.” “This is the process that we’ve been told to do,” Noel said. “Is route everything so you get the most up to date — and the public gets the most up to date — information.”
USDA employees in other areas close to Nevada County have also experienced sudden terminations.
Chris Buckley was a Public Affairs Specialist for the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, and received a letter from the Office of Personnel Management, not from her bosses; “The agency finds based on your performance that you have not demonstrated that your further employment would be in the public interest.”
Friday was the first round of layoffs and another came around on Sunday, according to the article published by 2 News Nevada news outlet Feb. 17.
Federal agencies, including the Department of Energy and Small Business Administration, and the National Park Service are also dealing with Trump’s push to cut federal spending and bureaucracy.
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NOTE FROM MOTHER LODE TRAILS
Because of federal budget limitations, Tahoe National Forest has been short-staffed and unable to complete maintenance operations for years. These new cuts from the Trump administration will impact our national forests even further, resulting in shorter hours, fewer maintenance staff, possible closure of campgrounds and trails.
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To read the complete article in The Union newspaper, CLICK HERE.
As of yesterday, the U.S. Forest Service is expected to have fired roughly 3,400 federal employees across every level of the agency. Cuts have reportedly hit close to home as individuals working within the Tahoe National Forest have also lost their jobs. The move is in response to President Donald Trump and his administration’s plan to shrink the U.S. federal government.
Residents in Nevada County have been wondering how or if the cuts will affect the approaching wildfire season. Comments on social media have speculated the depth of those cuts and that they have eroded an entire Hotshot crew. Officials confirmed this week that no firefighting crews — including local Hotshot crews — have been impacted, though a public information officer has been let go. A Hotshot, or Interagency Hotshot Crew (IHC), is a highly trained group of firefighters who respond to the most dangerous wildland fires. They are considered one of the most elite firefighting teams in the world.
Lauren Faulkenberry, Public Affairs Officer for the Tahoe National Forest (TNF) has not made herself available for comment this week.
D’artanyan Ratley, Region 5 Public Affairs Officer for the Forest Service (USDA) has not returned requests for comment as of press time. “We just can’t speak yet,” Heather Noel, Acting Supervisor at the Tahoe National Forest in Nevada City said this week regarding which positions within the TNF have been let go.
“It’s a one stop shop right now for that so that everybody gets up to date information,” Noel said. “We’re getting information — the numbers — many times like you are.” “This is the process that we’ve been told to do,” Noel said. “Is route everything so you get the most up to date — and the public gets the most up to date — information.”
USDA employees in other areas close to Nevada County have also experienced sudden terminations.
Chris Buckley was a Public Affairs Specialist for the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, and received a letter from the Office of Personnel Management, not from her bosses; “The agency finds based on your performance that you have not demonstrated that your further employment would be in the public interest.”
Friday was the first round of layoffs and another came around on Sunday, according to the article published by 2 News Nevada news outlet Feb. 17.
Federal agencies, including the Department of Energy and Small Business Administration, and the National Park Service are also dealing with Trump’s push to cut federal spending and bureaucracy.
-------------------------------------------------------
NOTE FROM MOTHER LODE TRAILS
Because of federal budget limitations, Tahoe National Forest has been short-staffed and unable to complete maintenance operations for years. These new cuts from the Trump administration will impact our national forests even further, resulting in shorter hours, fewer maintenance staff, possible closure of campgrounds and trails.
------------------------------------------------------
To read the complete article in The Union newspaper, CLICK HERE.
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