Fewer people and less resources will be available to help prevent and fight wildfires, raising the specter of even more destructive blazes.

Workers who maintained trails, removed combustible debris from forests, supported firefighters and secured money for wildfire mitigation say staffing cuts threaten public safety, especially in the West.

The IRS has begun laying off more than 6,000 new and newly promoted employees across the country as part of the push to slash the federal government, sources say.