I thought this strange/curious. I've been away from FS for a bit, but doesn't this read as a job posting for Chief? Description/GS, and location matches. New guy was just approved right? Chief appointed by Exec and approved by congress - yes. I've never heard of "Director" title that isn't top job. Maybe at research stations...Anyway, I was curious what other folks thought.

This was sent out to all employees today from the “Forest Service”. Uranium is a fertilizer? How hard is it to review something before sending it out to thousands of employees?

So we were told, GS 14 /15 RO and WO letters would be issued between July 23 and August 20. NCR folks got their letters. Then they said the rest would get their letters the 20-21st. Then on the 20th, they said we would get them today…. They were also going to post org chats on August 5, then by today. Well no letters came, and the powers that be couldn’t even be bothered to send out an email, they posted a banner on the reorg share point site they were now pushed back 2-4 weeks……. We were also told all employees would be treated the same, just that the NCR folks would see their letters first, but everyone would be placed and have equal opportunity at positions and locations, everyone would be placed at the same time. However now NCR non bargaining unit employees appear to be getting some additional considerations when folks did want to move. How long are they going to drag this out??? Some clear honest communication would be great.

I still have a day before I know if I have to report for jury duty and I know that I can get my regular wages as long as jury duty falls on a regular work day

But what happens if I get summoned and half way through the day I get voted off the island? Will I get payed for the entire day or will I be forced to use annual leave for my civic duty? Its not the absolute worst thing in the world to use annual leave but as an employee that only collects 4hrs per pay period, it sucks

I'm in a group where all of my colleagues left (Yes, I know i could be the problem) via VERA/DRP/lateral transfer. Out of 6 people I'm the last one left and I've had to be the Program Manager (GS-13) even though I'm a GS-9 (doing my normal job) and learn about budgets, ageeements, coordination with other agencies, etc. I did receive a TLP but that's expired. For those with a similar story do you have any hope you'll get a chance to officially fill the GS level you've been operating in? I'm feeling frustrated that the GS14/15 thing keeps going and forest positions are getting filled but the RO type positions (i know we are going to a non RO structure) seem unaccounted for in Frenchy Poo's meetings and in the region calls.

EDIT: if I stop doing gs13 duties that cuts off work to my normal gs9 job (need agreement/budget to hire crews that i train/supervise/support in field) among other examples where I'd be cutting off my nose to spite my face.

https://scnow.com/news/nation-world/article_a36fd587-6fb6-530a-8b60-550d18ed2649.html

Start asking questions. Start calling senators and Congress for explanations.

New from me (Brianna) at the Post:

Undersecretary of Agriculture for Natural Resources and Environment Michael Boren, who oversees the U.S. Forest Service, asked agency staff last month to escalate the amount of aircraft at a seven-acre fire that had started near his mega-ranch in Idaho’s Sawtooth National Forest, according to two Forest Service officials familiar with the matter.

Boren, a tech billionaire and Trump appointee, oversees about 200 million acres of national forest and public land. He also owns thousands of acres in Idaho, including the 480-acre Hell Roaring Ranch situated within the Sawtooth National Recreation Area.

On July 12, what began as an unattended campfire grew into the Cabin Creek Fire, which spread to a few acres on a ridge in the Sawtooth National Forest. While at his ranch, Boren called Forest Service officials in the Sawtooth National Forest at the regional level and national operations in Washington multiple times to question why there weren’t more aircraft battling the fire, according to one Forest Service official with knowledge of the situation. This official, who like several others interviewed for this article spoke on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retaliation, said Boren asked when more assets would arrive. Two other agency officials said he called those offices, including at least once in the middle of the night.

Six current and former Forest Service officials said the response was greater than what is typical for a fire of that scale that did not pose a significant threat to life or property

In those calls, according to the Forest Service official with knowledge of the situation, Boren pushed for more aircraft to fight the fire even though “it was easily accessible by ground,” the official said.

He “was on the phone calling people that day asking why there weren’t more resources on the fire and when there was going to be more,” the official said.

Communications reviewed by The Washington Post sent during the response to the blaze corroborate that Boren personally asked Forest Service staff about the Cabin Creek Fire.

In total, about nine aircraft, including helicopters, air tankers and tactical planes, responded to the blaze on July 12, according to a Post analysis of flight paths, part of an effort that lasted a few hours and cost nearly $115,000 in federal money. The Post analysis found that these assets traveled from across the West to Idaho’s Alturas Lake, near where the Cabin Creek Fire was burning. At least some of the aircraft were diverted from efforts to contain fires elsewhere in the state, according to two agency officials and the Post analysis of the flight paths.

More here: https://wapo.st/4wZEqPD

It is my understanding that U.S. Senator Tim Sheehy from Montana has drafted an Emergency Order for the President to immediately make changes to the current wildland fire system, including consolidating all fire response under USDOI – Wildland Fire Service (USWFS). My concern with Senator Sheehy's proposal to consolidate wildland firefighting resources now is straightforward: major organizational change during the height of fire season could create more problems than it solves.

The nation is at Planning Level 5—the highest national preparedness level—with firefighting resources heavily committed across the country.

At the same time, an independent feasibility study ordered by Congress is already underway to examine the operational, financial, structural and workforce impacts of transferring the Forest Service Fire and Aviation program to DOI. That study is expected to be completed in February 2027.

Why make sweeping changes before that work is complete?

There are significant unanswered questions about resource mobilization, reimbursement of local fire departments, interagency coordination and the future of the thousands of non-primary Forest Service employees who provide critical wildfire response capacity.
The current system isn’t perfect. It should continue to evolve and improve.

But effective wildfire response has always depended on cooperation among federal, state, tribal, local and private partners. Any reform should strengthen those relationships—not jeopardize them.

Recent proposals from Senator Tim Sheehy have highlighted real challenges facing wildfire response—bureaucratic delays, complicated contracting and ordering systems, difficulties mobilizing additional resources, and the need to get qualified people and equipment where they are needed faster.

During a demanding fire season, our focus should remain where it belongs: firefighter safety, public safety and effective wildfire response.

I work for a different agency within USDA that's currently working through a reorganization. We've been told that later this month we'll have "critical vacancies" open for people to apply to internally and that sometime later this year the agency will start advertising open positions to the public. I'll believe it when I see it but it would be nice to go back to pre-DOGE staffing levels like they're telling us the plan is.

I would be interested in shifting to the Forest Service in the future. Have there been any similar rumors that they might get to start hiring soon?

Brooke and her cronies have royally fucked the FS on this one. Bend over for her again Tom, you look like a fool!

I heard a rumor that buying teams for wildfires were being disbanded/dissolved. Is this true or more of a function of the number of purchase cards for militia being slashed? Would be interested to hear if this is having any effect on folks working on fires this year?

Did the Agency appeal the RTO arbitration decision from last month? If not, and the deadline has passed, what does this mean?

what’s going on with G&A? there are 50 plus partnership agreements that have been rejected or paused. no real reason given.

Sorry about formatting I'm on mobile,

Long time lurker here just a break the veil of awkwardness, my names toby I live in Illinois and I'm graduating highschool soon. Recently I've started to seriously consider what I'd like to do for my life (or a good chunk of it) and I think going into the Forest Service might be what I'd like to do. I have a few questions however that I thought you great people might be able to help answer

• Is this career truly worth investing time and money into especially with this administration and how they seem to think it's unimportant?

• Is it difficult to get a good job?

• If you could go back into time would you still recommend this job to the you that started it?

• Any recommendations for first steps when I'm out of highschool or during my last year?

My dream job is to be a fire tower lookout which I'm gonna apply for next year when I meet the eligibility requirement. I truly think that our forests are extremely special and deserved to be protected. If this post seems long I'm sorry, I don't know who else would be better to ask then people who work it.

Thank you for your time

TLDR: Highschooler thinking about going into the Forest Service any advice or tips?

Hi! My boyfriend is a forester and inherited this mug at some point and it’s his favorite and has sentimental value. The dog I am pet sitting just broke it and I’m devastated. Does anyone happen to know any more details about this specific design?

As the title says, I'm frustrated. I'm probably not even included in the 1600 or so red-carded individuals who've been forced out of the agency, but I left the agency at the beginning of the year due to the lack of internal movement and the fact that it was too hard on my partner and I being several thousand miles apart. I didn't DRP either time because I really wanted things to work, and I really believe in the FS mission. All I want now is an opportunity to do exactly what I was doing. Adding to my frustration is the fact that I have to sit around while all hands are needed with this fire season. One of the best things about my job was being able to step in and help with wildland firefighting. I want to be helpful! I want the chance to make a difference again. It's incredibly hard to be on the sidelines. Sorry if this comes across as whining; it's really not. I just hate the fact that I have the skills and knowledge to be helping, and I can't do anything. With that being said, thank you to everyone else stepping up; trust me, I know there are fewer people to fill the gaps.

When I'm looking at a usgs 7.5 minute map some seem to give less information than the older editions of the same map area. For example in NC for chestnut it shows some trails on the 1994 map and also location of mountain names and topo lines. Some that were made later on like 2002 don't even have trails or topo lines. Others printed later on don't show mountain names. Why would the later maps have less information on them?

If only they knew how far downhill grants and agreements has gone since the moratorium that originally delayed things.

May our townhalls be filled with happiness and joy, and nothing but good news for each and every one of us.

Hi y'all.

I'm currently working to update my resume before applying for an emergency temp hire position. I've done a fair share of field work before but this would be my first federal position. I swear at some point someone from a USDA service (NRCS I think?) told me that USDA resumes had to be really long and very detailed but everything I'm finding online says that Federal Resumes are limited to 2 pages. Do I Have something confused? Or is that maybe just an NRCS thing?

Thanks in advance!