Wildland firefighters face up to a $20,000 pay cut, among many other challenges

Mental health risks, seasonal financial strain, and uncertainty regarding federal pay and benefits make this a precarious time for wildland firefighters.

As cool weather arrives and the number of U.S. wildfires declines, wildland firefighters who have spent months working in the heat and smoke are able to take a much-needed break. But for many of them, the stress of the job isn’t going away.