Precarious conditions and structural dismantling of wildfire crews in Guadalajara

• Wildfire crews in Guadalajara face chronic job instability, grueling working conditions, and the systematic dismantling of essential public services.
• Personnel report significant operational failures, including poor on-site command, reliance on temporary labor, and a preference for high-profile military deployments over effective local integration.
• Unions and workers are calling for permanent contracts and professionalization of the service to protect natural heritage in the face of climate change.

Job Instability and Labor Reality

• New recruits serve over four years as temporary staff, eventually moving to discontinuous permanent contracts where they work less than four months per year.
• The early retirement policy is considered a mirage, as it requires 38.5 years of contributions that seasonal workers cannot realistically achieve.
• Staff endure extreme physical demands, carrying 20kg of equipment through rugged terrain, often forced into shifts exceeding 22 consecutive hours of work.

Operational Chaos and Resource Deficits

• Team sizes have been halved since 2008; vehicles remain unrepaired for long periods, and many surveillance towers are left unstaffed despite a 23-million-euro regional budget.
• Workers report health risks due to the failure to provide mandatory protective equipment (EPI), leaving many with only one suit instead of the required two.
• On-site decision-making is often disconnected from reality; specialized crews are frequently hindered by counterproductive orders from command posts or by the deployment of the military (UME), which acts independently of local operational plans.

Prevention Failures and Workplace Issues

• Current preventative measures are deemed insufficient; workers advocate for replacing monoculture forests with native species to create natural firebreaks.
• The sector remains highly masculinized, with persistent issues including a lack of adapted uniforms for women and missing female changing facilities in many bases.
• Employees emphasize that they are not seeking hero status but rather the stability and resources required to perform their vital public safety roles effectively.