Popular Washington rec areas hit with closures unsafe conditions after USFS workers fired

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The sign says Franklin Falls Sno-Park Temporarily Closed - Due to Unsafe Conditions. Found in Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, the message is mounted at the road that leads to the trailheads for Franklin Falls and Denny Creek. • A second sign, also off the Denny Creek exit on I-90 reads, Road Closed and No access to Franklin Falls or Denny Creek. • These closures come after dozens of local forest service employees were fired following President Donald Trump's announcement of a sweeping federal workforce cut. • -------------------------------------------------- • For more on the lead story: https://komonews.com/news/local/popul... • _______________ • Stay up to date with our social media: • KOMO News on Facebook: / komonews • KOMO News on Twitter: / komonews • KOMO News on Instagram: / komo4 • KOMO News on TikTok: / komo4seattle • Subscribe to KOMO on YouTube: / @komonews • Watch more top local news stories: • Video • For all of the day’s top local and national news, visit http://www.komonews.com/ • Watch our live newscasts and other live video at https://komonews.com/watch • Download our iOS App: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/komo-... • Download our Android App: https://play.google.com/store/apps/de... • Have a news tip? Send it directly to us: • Email us: [email protected] • Call the Newsroom: 206.404.4000 • KOMO News (ABC 4) provides the latest breaking news, sports, weather, traffic, and local event coverage in the Seattle and Western Washington/Puget Sound area including Bellevue, Redmond, Renton, Kent, Tacoma, Bellingham, Yakima, and surrounding communities. • Some of these workers posted about their firings on social media. One woman, who identified herself as a U.S. Forest Service worker, posted to Facebook that her termination notice allegedly stated, in part, The Agency finds, based on your performance, that you have not demonstrated that your further employment at the Agency would be in the public interest. • During a phone interview, Congresswoman Kim Schrier said she is aware of 260 U.S. Forest Service workers who were terminated between Washington and Oregon, and that the firings are part of the first of three potential rounds of cuts. • Schrier said the decision to cut the U.S. Forest Service workforce by 3,400 is irresponsible and dangerous. She added the cuts pose a dangerous threat to the state's wildfire season - calling it both shameful and dangerous. • “Already, popular areas like the Denny Creek Trailhead, which was averaging over 1,000 guests per day on the weekend, have had to close down due to staffing shortages. This is just the beginning, as staffing shortages will cause unsafe conditions in popular recreation areas and leave the Eighth District especially vulnerable during fire season, Schrier said. • The Washington Trail Association (WTA) is stunned by the news and currently scrambling to determine how it can help in the short term and long term. • It's devastating to see all of this expertise and talent being lost, said Chief Program Officer Kindra Ramos. On a personal note, the folks that are being fired like these aren't nameless individuals. These are good, talented people that Washington Trails Association has worked with for years, who help maintain our trails, our campgrounds, our wilderness areas. • Ramos said last year WTA logged about 70,000 hours of trail work on Forest Service lands. • #komo #komonews #komo4 #komo4news #seattle #seattlenews #washingtonnews #trump #donaldtrump #presidenttrump #closures #usfs #nationalparks • Michelle Esteban • This video and all Sinclair Broadcast Group content archives of local news and sports coverage are available for your use. For more information contact us at [email protected]

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