State meteorologists say staffing shortages from federal job cuts could disrupt wildfire forecasting and response
OLYMPIA, Wash. — In the wake of sweeping federal layoffs at the National Weather Service (NWS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), emergency management agencies across the Pacific Northwest say this could be an especially tough summer for first responders.
In February, the Trump administration laid off more than 800 NOAA employees nationwide, only to rehire them briefly before a federal court ruling led to a second wave of firings. The impact has been immediate, with data collection and weather balloon launches suspended at stations in Alaska, New York, Maine,
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