Wildland firefighters in California may be getting more job protections if a status change gets state approval.
Senator Mike McGuire is spearheading SB 206, which expands the Firefighters Procedural Bill of Rights to the seasonal crews who battle wildfires. Currently, these workers are at-will employees and can be fired for minor issues without any fair treatment in a formal disciplinary process. If the bill is signed into law by Governor Newsom, seasonal firefighters would have the same due process protections as full-time employees.