LOS ANGELES — U.S. Rep. Judy Chu, D-Monterey Park, was among dozens of lawmakers urging the Trump administration Wednesday to reverse its decision to fire 3,400 federal workers from the U.S. Forest Service, which manages 193 million acres of public lands.

According to the letter from Chu and others, the layoffs are part of a broader effort by President Donald Trump and close ally Elon Musk to dismantle the federal workforce, undermining the nation's ability to respond to urgent crises — from wildfires to climate change — while needlessly upending the livelihoods of tens of thousands of Americans.

"We write to express our deep concern regarding the recent decision to lay off thousands of employees from the U.S. Forest Service and the potentially catastrophic consequences this will have on wildfire prevention efforts across the country," the letter stated.

"These cuts, compounded by the decision to freeze federal funding for a long list of critical programs and grants, could leave our public lands more vulnerable than ever to the threat of wildfires, which are becoming more frequent and severe due to climate change," the letter continued. "Last month, Southern California experienced its most devastating wildfires in history, with fires consuming 55,082 acres due to unprecedented Santa Ana winds and dry conditions. The Palisades and Eaton Fires alone destroyed over 37,000 acres, claiming at least 28 lives and damaging over 16,240 structures. Unfortunately, these fires are part of a broader trend of increasing wildfire severity."

Trump's cost-cutting measures are spread across the federal government through the Department of Government Efficiency, headed by Musk, the billionaire founder of SpaceX and Tesla. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees the Forest Service, said in a statement that Secretary Brooke Rollins supports Trump's directive to fire thousands of "probationary, non- firefighting employees," which he said was for efficiency's sake.

The letter from House members says the recent layoffs at the Forest Service directly jeopardize firefighting efforts.

"For example, in the weeks before the recent Southern California wildfires began, the agency ordered and positioned multiple hand crews, engines, water tenders, dozers and patrols strategically throughout the Angeles National Forest in preparation for critical fire weather," according to the letter. "These resources were essential to Initial Attack on fire starts and the overall response to major fires across the region."

The letter continues, "The loss of skilled employees, many of whom possess specialized training in modern wildfire prevention techniques, will have lasting effects on the U.S. Forest Service's ability to respond to the growing threat of wildfires. It is particularly concerning that many of those laid off were probationary employees who were actively involved in these critical projects. Their departure, along with the broader staff reductions, leaves the agency dangerously understaffed as we head into another wildfire season."