NYT: With Illegal Immigrants Fighting Wildfires, West Faces a Dilemma

With Illegal Immigrants Fighting Wildfires, West Faces a Dilemma
By KIRK JOHNSON
Published: May 28, 2006

SALEM, Ore. — The debate over immigration, which has filtered into almost every corner of American life in recent months, is now sweeping through the woods, and the implications could be immense for the coming fire season in the West.

As many as half of the roughly 5,000 private firefighters based in the Pacific Northwest and contracted by state and federal governments to fight forest fires are immigrants, mostly from Mexico. And an untold number of them are working here illegally.

A recent report by the inspector general for the United States Forest Service said illegal immigrants had been fighting fires for several years. The Forest Service said in response that it would work with immigration and customs enforcement officers and the Social Security Administration to improve the process of identifying violators.

At the same time, the State of Oregon, which administers private fire contracts for the Forest Service, imposed tougher rules on companies that employ firefighters, including a requirement that firefighting crew leaders have a working command of English and a formal business location where crew members can assemble.

Some Hispanic contractors say the state and federal changes could cause many immigrants, even those here legally, to stay away from the jobs. Other forestry workers say firefighting jobs may simply be too important — and too hard to fill — to allow for a crackdown on illegal workers....

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/28/us/28fire.html?hp&ex=1148788800&en=155ab953dd49f34a&ei=5094&partner=homepage

I hadn't known that.

:cry:

I've been saying this for a while now. Every time somebody posts about jobs Americans won't do, because Americans absolutely will do firefighting. My son told me about this problem a few years ago when he did firefighting, the problem being firefighters on the line who couldn't speak English. Not good when it's time to skedaddle.

Obviously every thread can't be read. Have you never heard of tongue-in-cheek? Geesh.

I gather that some things were posted that really set the tone for the issue in the DU forums. When I got home, I stayed out of those giant threads because they were too overloaded and bitter.

When it first started, it seemed most folks were on the same page, manage immigration so workers aren't exploited and wages can't be driven down. The big issue at the beginning was between open borders and some security with a fair path to citizenship. Within a few weeks, we started getting more and more of the "it's illegal" line and even fence supporters. So now, there isn't really one consistent view. But it is instructive as to how the Democratic message gets distorted and how difficult it is for Democratic Congress people to decide what vote really represents their constituents.

I'm sorry I missed it when you posted it.

Like I said above, the crying was tongue in cheek.

at least half the firefighters (in the Northwest, at least) are native-born, and strongly imply that 90% or so are Americans or nearly so?

For being a job that Americans won't do, there's a stunning proportion of Americans doing it.

Americans absolutely will do firefighting. That's what I said.

When I was younger and stronger, maybe an hour.

Sounds like propaganda crap to push for the importation of poverty without having to think of a good way to deal with a global economy.

This is crazy. Even the government hires Illegals?

If it is that important hire Americans or expand the volunteer force!

Businesses get government contracts to provide firefighters, and then THEY hire the illegals.

are needed to fill these positions. This NYT article is pure pro-law breaking, anti-middle class propaganda.

Noone will ever be able to tell me that firefighting is "a job that Americans won't do".

Immigrants are forest firefighters

Some with private firms here illegally

NEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICE

May 28, 2006

SALEM, Ore. – The debate over immigration, which has filtered into almost every corner of American life in recent months, is now sweeping through the woods, and the implications could be immense for the upcoming fire season in the West.

As many as half of the roughly 5,000 private firefighters based in the Pacific Northwest and contracted by state and federal governments to fight forest fires are immigrants, mostly from Mexico. And an untold number of them are working here illegally.

A recent report by the Agriculture Department's inspector general for the U.S. Forest Service said illegal immigrants had been fighting fires for several years. The Forest Service said in response that it would work with immigration and customs enforcement officers and the Social Security Administration to improve the process of identifying violators.

At the same time, the state of Oregon, which administers private fire contracts for the Forest Service, imposed tougher rules on companies that employ firefighters, including a requirement that firefighting crew leaders have a working command of English and a formal business location where crew members can assemble. Some Hispanic contractors say the state and federal changes could cause many immigrants, even those here legally, to stay away from the jobs. Other forestry workers say that firefighting may simply be too important – and that it may be too difficult to attract other applicants – to allow for a crackdown on illegal workers.

(snip)

Find this article at:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20060528/news_1n28fire.html

The day a forest fire threatens one's home. Especially with the National guard in Iraq or "defending" the Mexican border.

Estimates are half of the ones in Oregon are immigrant; with maybe 10% being illegal.

Again, the distinction is worthwhile. Because it means while half of them aren't immigrants--hardly 'no Americans want the jobs'--it also means that the other 40% are probably Americans, or well on the way to being naturalized.

The assumption needed for making a lot of statements true seems to be both that no immigrants are Americans, and also that all immigrants are in this funny Heisenbergian state of indeterminate between illegal and legal.

It's actually not that easy to get on a fire crew. It's easy to take the test and be told you'll be called, but you can starve to death waiting for the phone to ring. And then it's generally only busy 2-3 months, and then you're out of work again. I don't know how it is now with the thinning contracts because my son got tired of only working a few months a year and is going to school. He also hurt his back and can't do it anymore anyway. I also know he wouldn't have done any "thinning" work if he knew it was hurting the forest, which might well be another reason they hire illegals, they aren't as educated as US firefighters about how our forests grow. Most US firefighters are either college kids or just love being outdoors, consequently they know good forestry from stupid forestry. I don't know for a fact that they're refusing to participate in this Bushit, but they could be.

with a long firefighting tradition:http://www.turtletrack.org/Issues01/Co03242001/CO_03242001_Firefighters.htm

Illegal immigrants are taking jobs that frequently support the families of minorities, especially native americans.

By Nate Carlisle
The Salt Lake Tribune

.. Utah's reserve of Black Hawk helicopters, used for dropping water and transporting personnel during wildfires, is currently with an Army National Guard unit training in Texas. The unit and its helicopters are scheduled to be shipped to Iraq by the end of the summer.

National Guard officials said the state has two Black Hawks on loan, one from South Dakota and another from Wyoming, to use in the interim. The aircraft should suffice in a wildfire season similar to the past few, Guard officers said. Meeting needs in any greater catastrophe, officers said, would require Utah to turn to its neighbors for help ..

http://www.sltrib.com/utah/ci_3874768