The gender pay gap among Victoria's professional forest firefighters has nearly tripled over the past four years, according to the Australian Workers' Union (AWU).

The AWU's review of Victorian Public Service data found women employed as forest firefighters by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) received pay increases averaging $3,781 between 2019 and 2023, compared to $8,036 for men.

The AWU said it meant female firefighters missed out on an average of $4,255 in pay growth over the four-year period.

The union also said the gender pay gap for Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMV) and DEECA field staff nearly tripled, increasing from 3.4 per cent to 9.5 per cent in the same period.

In 2023, the median salary for female forest firefighters was $58,787, while

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