CAL FIRE is hiring: Newsom ramping up recruitment as Nat'l Guard firefighting capacity drops

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- As California heads into peak wildfire season, the governor is putting out the call for new firefighters. Governor Gavin Newsom is announcing a new effort by CAL FIRE to recruit thousands of firefighters and emergency personnel. The call comes in the wake of a reduction in California's National Guard firefighting capacity, after hundreds were redeployed to LA by President Trump.

One of the world's largest firefighting departments is hiring. CAL FIRE is looking for as many as 2,000 firefighters, emergency personnel and support staff over the next four years. There's even a new and improved website to check out.

"Best way to put it, it's a one stop shop where someone can go to find all the information and then work through the process of getting the job," said CAL FIRE captain, Robert Foxworthy.

CAL FIRE says seasonal firefighters are being trained all the time, but there are lots of job vacancies due to staff retirements.

MORE: Trump can keep National Guard in LA for now after appeals court blocks order

The new hiring effort comes when the state's firefighting capabilities are being squeezed by federal actions, including Pres. Trump's re-assignment of roughly 300 National Guard fire crews to Los Angeles, slashing the state's 'Cal-Guard' firefighting force considerably.

The Trump administration has also reduced funding to the U.S. Forest Service, limiting federal support for wildfire management in California, placing increased pressure on State resources. Gov. Newsom made these comments Thursday before an appeals court temporarily allowed Trump to keep National Guard troops in LA.

"The National Guard will go back to working in 'Rattlesnake Teams' vegetation and forest management, which Donald Trump took them off in preparation for wildfire season. The national guard men and women will go back to their day jobs which includes law enforcement, that he took them off the job," Newsom said.

The new recruiting effort follows new state wildfire resilience initiatives, like $72 million in funding for 13 vegetation management efforts across 7,000 acres in California.