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Forestry Commission urges reinstatement of staffing pins and pay progressions to bolster wildfire response
Summary
Russell of the Forestry Commission told the committee the agency lost 67 personnel pins, seeks reinstatement of 32 pins funded from agency special funds, and outlined a pay progression (2.5% per year) and a $266,000 price tag for firefighter progressions plus $237,000 for salary equity across 70 other positions.
Russell, speaking for the Forestry Commission, told the Appropriations Committee the agency's operating model targets 86 wildland fire crews (roughly one per county) but current vacancies and lost PINs have reduced capacity. "We lost 67 pins," he said, and asked the committee to reinstate 32 pins so the agency can approach a 300‑pin capacity and sustain response capability.
He said those 32 pins would be funded through agency‑generated special funds rather than the general fund and explained that a 2.5% annual progression for qualifying wildland firefighters carries about a $266,000 cost; an additional $237,000 would support salary equity adjustments for roughly 70 non‑fire personnel. "Those pins, the funding for those pins is not general fund," Russell told the committee, describing his preference for flexibility via special funds authority.
Russell described a history of a multi‑phase forestry pay plan that reduced vacancy rates substantially after implementation but said the agency still faces a 10–15% vacancy rate and significant attrition. He explained that some federal reimbursements (estimated at about $876,000) are generated by technical service agreements (NRCS, FSA, USFS) and characterized those funds as reliable reimbursements tied to work already performed rather than discretionary new grants.
On equipment, Russell said the agency runs a two‑year rotation for heavy equipment (a 15‑year replacement age for heavy pieces) and recently purchased 12 tractor/plow units; that scheduling explains year‑to‑year dips in equipment requests. Committee members pressed for a position‑by‑position breakdown of where raises would land and requested data on vacancy counts and historical equipment needs; Russell agreed to provide detailed breakdowns to assist legislative deliberations.
No formal appropriation or vote was taken at the hearing; members closed with requests for follow‑up materials.
