Congress approved a funding deal to maintain current pay levels for federal wildland firefighters through the remainder of the fiscal year, ending September 30.

In 2021, wildland firefighter pay was temporarily increased by $20,000 or 50%. but that raise was set to expire without congressional action.

Now the National Federation of Federal Employees says its time to make the pay raise permanent by passing the Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act.

If the firefighter salaries a43mreduced, the union warns, as many as half of all wildland firefighters may leave their jobs.