WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – A month after several fires tore through Los Angeles and left more than $250 billion in damage, congressional Democrats said President Donald Trump’s administration is making it more difficult to fight wildfires. 

“The chaos and disruption that the Trump administration is engaged in will have real world consequences for communities like my community in Northern Colorado,” said Rep. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.). 

Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) in a letter to the Trump administration, said the federal hiring freeze “stalled the onboarding of thousands of seasonal firefighters.” Former wildland firefighter Bobbie Scopa said wildland firefighters have limited resources and those who are permanent hires are worried they’ll lose their jobs. 

“If your intent was to ruin an agency’s morale and get people to quit, this is exactly what you would do,” Scopa said. “It has never been more bleak.” 

Fourteen Senate Democrats wrote a letter to the Trump administration worried a federal funding freeze is stopping long-term projects designed to protect against future wildfires. 

Lomakatsi Restoration Project, a nonprofit in Oregon, working on forest management projects funded by the federal government said in a post on Facebook, “We will not be able to receive reimbursement for completed work or work underway until further notice.” The nonprofit said it had to stop some of its operations and lay off some employees. 

Congressional Republicans, and the White House said, they’re reviewing federal funding to make sure it’s not being wasted. The Trump administration added, firefighters are exempt from workforce cuts. 

“The American people specifically chose this president to do exactly what he’s doing,” said Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.). “Open the books and expose the atrocious waste.”

Rep. Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho) said leaders need to make firefighting more efficient.  

“It’s not trying to gut the federal government. The federal government is already gutted in that regard,” Fulcher said. “Let’s figure out something new.” 

Scopa said she agrees federal firefighters are spread across multiple federal agencies, but she said the administration isn’t moving carefully in trying to make the system more efficient. 

“It’s a sledgehammer trying to do eye surgery,” she said. 

The USDA website said fire seasons will get longer, with more wildfires, because of climate change.