Differential Pay for Prescribed Wildland Fire Activities
What happened
The Office of Personnel Management issued a final rule adding prescribed (planned) wildland fire duties as eligible for extra pay. Signed by Donald Trump, this authorizes a "25 percent differential" for General Schedule (GS) and Federal Wage System (FWS) employees. This applies to firefighting crew members directly involved in implementing and controlling prescribed wildland fires on the fireline, effective September 14, 2026.
Why it matters
This means federal firefighters will receive the same hazardous duty pay for planned burns as they do for uncontrolled wildfires, recognizing similar dangers. It aims to compensate employees for exposure to hazards like smoke, heat, and unstable terrain during these controlled fire operations.
Who it affects
- ›General Schedule (GS) federal employees
- ›Federal Wage System (FWS) federal employees
- ›Federal wildland firefighters (including GW pay plan)
- ›Employees on firelines during prescribed wildland fires
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