Trump’s staffing cuts have weakened the Forest Service’s firefighting force

About 700 Forest Service employees terminated in mid-February's “ Valentine’s Day massacre” are red-card-carrying staffers.

These workers hold other full-time jobs in the agency, but they’ve been trained to aid firefighting crews.

They also assist with prescribed burns, which reduce flammable vegetation and prevent bigger fires, but the burns can only move forward if there are a certain number of staff available.

Cuts to the Forest Service's legal department will also curb its ability to care for the nation’s forests and fight wildfires, an employee told ProPublica .

Many permanent employees, including many firefighters, work on a seasonal basis and are placed on an unpaid status for several months each year when there is less work.