VIDEO: Arizona wildland firefighters could be seeing a pay raise after a proposal from Gov. Katie Hobbs in her executive budget. Wildland firefighting often involves 14 to 16-hour days, much of which are spent outside cutting fire lines. The work can last as long as a fire burns, which could be days, weeks, or even months. The Greer Fire has burned over 20,000 acres in one of the most picturesque parts of Arizona, which has also been tough terrain for firefighters.
โFirst reaction is I can smell it, I can see it. Iโm there to some degree. And then my backup position as a 70-year-old is Iโm glad Iโm not there,โ said Bobbie Scopa. But for 45 years, Scopa worked as a wildland firefighter, fire chief, and deputy director. โWildland firefighters love the work,โ she explained. In her executive budget proposal, Gov. Hobbs calls for a 15% raise for state firefighter positions. To put in perspective how much state firefighters make, a Fire Crew Captain opening in Flagstaff right now has a posted salary range of $17.68 to $23.80 an hour.
