Arizona governor calls for pay raise for firefighters while honoring those who battled LA wildfires

PHOENIX – Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs called for increased state firefighter pay on Thursday during an event to honor the task force members who recently deployed to combat the Los Angeles wildfires.

Hobbs vowed to fight for the 15% raise for state wildland firefighters included in the annual budget proposal she put out last month.

“It’s time that our hard-working rank-and-file firefighters get a raise,” she said during an event at the Department of Forestry and Fire Management office in Apache Junction.

Why does Arizona governor want to increase state firefighter pay?

The Democratic governor said her firefighter pay proposal would help the state attract and retain the top professionals in the field.

“As Arizona’s firefighters, they battle some of the nation’s toughest wildfires,” she said. “Year-over-year, these events have gotten worse and pay has certainly not increased to match the growing intensity.”

Hobbs delivered her remarks about firefighter pay as part of an event where she handed out official commendations to the members of the eight Arizona task forces who were deployed to Southern California.

She said some of the firefighters told her that their experience in the Los Angeles area will help them be more effective back in Arizona.

“These brave firefighters embody the Arizona promise, keeping Arizonans safe every day and helping our neighbors across state lines when they need it most,” Hobbs said. “And we need to do everything we can to support them and their families.”

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