Ian Brickey, ian.brickey@sierraclub.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Trump administration conducted a mass firing of federal employees, creating even more chaos in an already roiled federal government.
Late Thursday, the Trump-controlled Office of Personnel Management ordered federal agencies to begin the process of laying off all probationary employees, expanding Trump’s purge of the executive branch. As many as 200,000 workers could be affected by the decision. That includes more than 3,000 staff at the U.S. Forest Service, including jobs supporting wildfire prevention across the country.
The United States has already experienced multiple devastating fires on both coasts in 2025. In the Los Angeles area, January fires killed more than two dozen people, burned tens of thousands of acres, and destroyed thousands of residences before firefighters were able to contain the blazes.
The mass layoffs, combined with a federal hiring freeze, puts federal agencies in a fraught position as fire season approaches.
In response, Athan Manuel, director of Sierra Club’s Lands Protection Program, released the following statement:
“Firing thousands of federal employees, including those who work to prevent wildfires, won’t lower the price of eggs, but it will put countless communities at risk of devastation. Trump and Musk might think of themselves as disruptors, but their actions have consequences. People will be put in harm’s way because of them.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.