Wildland firefighter working on backfires for the Bedrock Fire on the Willamette National Forest on Aug. 24, 2023. 

When we checked on Friday, Oregon Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, a Republican, was the only member of Oregon’s Congressional delegation signed on to bills in the House and Senate to keep wildland firefighter pay from dropping by about 50% this fall.

Where are the others? Why haven’t they signed on?

It may be just a matter of time. It’s not like the bills are particularly partisan. For instance, we heard Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, say on Eugene television station KTVL that the potential drop in pay was “unacceptable.”

The pay may drop because the increase was only temporary. The increase should run out around the end of September.

Members of Congress are not blind to the dangers of wildfire. They do seem to have a blindspot for resolving differences over federal spending. After the summer wildfires and the tragedy in Maui, they must not let federal spending limits be the insoluble riddle that blocks wildland firefighter pay.