the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist
“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx
the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist
“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx
Sep 30, 2024
So far this year, wildfires have burned about one million acres in California, matching the state’s five-year average already two months before the end of the fire season. But as wildfires become larger and more intense year after year, burned-out firefighters are fleeing the United States Forest Service (USFS).
The USFS has lost nearly half its permanent employees within the last three years. It’s no mystery why, given that the agency’s base pay is a miserly $15-an-hour, barely matching the minimum wage. Who can live off such a low wage, let alone keeping in shape to fight against deadly, explosive wildfires?
For the same reason, the USFS cannot recruit new firefighters either. So, the agency’s firefighting force is shrinking, and whoever is left behind is overloaded with more of this dangerous work. As Abel Martinez, a fire captain at the Angeles National Forest in Southern California, told The Guardian, overwork has increased accidents and injuries.
The United States government spends the wealth workers create on the wars it causes, and on further enriching already wealthy capitalists. This is the money taken from social spending, like firefighting, which is essential for our survival.