Wildfires are getting more extreme. And so is the need for more firefighters

Extreme wildfires doubled worldwide over the last two decades, according to a new study of NASA satellite data. You'd think, if the wildfire crisis is getting worse, there'd be more and more firefighters in place to meet that demand. But at agencies like the U.S. Forest Service, adequate staffing has been a huge challenge. But as organizations like the Forest Service raise alarm about firefighter shortages, there's also a whole group of people who are trained to fight fires and are struggling to get jobs in the field: formerly incarcerated people. We hear from Royal Ramey, a formerly incarcerated firefighter who started an organization to help others build firefighting careers once they're released from prison. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy