To the House Natural Resources Committee, Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack.

We the wildland firefighters of the U.S. Forest Service have no confidence in the disconnected, ineffectual and apathetic leadership shown by both Chief Randy Moore and Deputy Chief of State and Private Forestry, Jaelith Hall-Rivera. Chief Hall-Riveras testimony to the Committee is cleanly divorced from reality and will cost lives, homes and property.

They helm an agency that is responsible for the Calf Canyon and Hermits peak wild fires. These fires have burned 500 square miles, 600 homes and an entire critical watershed. Both were caused by USFS escaped prescribed fires. The buck stops with them. 

They have recklessly failed to implement congressionally mandated pay raises for U.S. Forest Service firefighters and are currently in breach of the law.

During his Jun 9 Testimony Chief Moore lied about air tankers, falsely stating that the FS has access to 27 VLATS (Very Large Airtankers). This is so absurdly off the mark that it warrants further questioning as to his knowledge of his own agency. Currently, there are only FOUR VLATS in the entire firefighting fleet, 2 of which are contracted with the FS. This further proves that Chief Moore is hopelessly out of his depth and lacks the firefighting knowledge necessary to helm an agency with such a heavy firefighting responsibility. 

The wild land community, in it's failing state, can scarcely afford incompetent, disconnected, apathetic and inexperienced leadership like what we witnessed. We ask that they resign immediately. 

Sincerely,

The dedicated, tired, exploited, angry, poverty stricken, mentally/physically broken and under staffed firefighters of the United States Forest Service.