Daines, Lankford Introduce Bill to Streamline Ability to Hire Wildland Firefighters
November 9, 2023
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and James Lankford (R-Okla.) introduced the “Direct Hire to Fight Fires Act” that would provide the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior (DOI) permanent Direct Hire Authority to streamline the hiring process for skilled personnel in the firefighting or firefighting support capacity. The bill also directs the Forest Service and DOI to identify policies and propose changes to reduce the time and complexity of hiring wildland firefighters and support personnel. “Year after year, our Montana communities are devastated by wildfires and our brave firefighters’ response to these fires protects lives and our public