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Published on January 19, 2025
Governor Hobbs Proposes 15% Pay Raise for Arizona's Brave Wildland Firefighters in FY 2026 BudgetSource: Google Street View

In a move signaling her administration's continued commitment to supporting frontline environmental stewards, Governor Hobbs has proposed a significant boost in pay and resources for Arizona's wildland firefighters in her FY 2026 Executive Budget. The Department of Forestry and Fire Management (DFFM) revealed that the governor's budget includes a much-needed 15% pay increase for the state's wildland firefighters.

"Our wildland firefighters are a critical resource to this agency and to the state of Arizona. They put their lives on the line every single time they lace up their boots. They can work 16 hours a day on the fireline for weeks at a time to protect all of us, our properties, and Arizona’s critical resources," DFFM Director Thomas Torres said in a statement provided by Department of Forestry and Fire Management. Amidst the backdrop of longer and more intense fire seasons, the Governor's budget allocation underscores the intense physical and mental duress under which these firefighters operate.

The budget also earmarks an additional one-time payment of $30 million from the General Fund to strengthen Arizona's wildfire suppression capability. Acknowledging the transitions of a shifting climate that includes warmer and drier conditions, the state is bracing for lengthier wildfire seasons that demand more robust management and intervention. Lasting longer and becoming increasingly frequent, Arizona's wildfires have necessitated a surge in support for incident management teams.

Before the proposed measures take effect, the budget awaits legislative approval. With rising costs and the escalating demands of wildfire suppression playing a central role in state finances, the budget's passage is a crucial next step for the DFFM. Growing awareness of the growing conditions in Arizona that are prolonging wildfire seasons, indicative of climate change's various deleterious effects, the critical importance of the budget's timely sanction could not be overstressed.

For detailed information regarding the proposal and its implications for Arizona's wildland firefighting efforts, inquiries can be directed to Tiffany Davila at 602-540-1036 or via email at [email protected], as noted in the official communication from the DFFM.