Senate Republicans propose rescinding ‘roadless rule’ — by tacking it onto federal wildfire bill
A brief moment of bipartisanship in the U.S. Senate turned political on Wednesday, when Republican lawmakers introduced a new provision to a wildfire bill.
That bill, called the Wildfire Prevention Act, would mandate increasing prescribed fires and forest thinning in federal forests.
It had support of both Democrats and Republicans when it was first introduced before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee last year. That common ground evaporated after Senate Republicans attached a repeal of what’s known as the “the roadless rule” to the bill.
Trump is taking aim at forest and wildfire research just as the West is poised to burn
If Congress were to approve President Trump's proposed budget for the agency, the U.S. Forest Service would be a skeleton of its former self, just as climate change is accelerating the frequency and severity of wildfires in the U.S. The agency already lost thousands of staff last year to layoffs, buyouts and early retirement due to President Trump's DOGE team.
Westerners working at research universities are nervous, as are people in small towns that depend on the USFS for everything from jobs to fighting fires to forecasting smoke.
Mike Lee ignites controversy after adding roadless rule repeal to a wildfire bill
Utah Sen. Mike Lee and fellow Republicans added a repeal of the controversial roadless rule to a previously bipartisan wildfire bill on Wednesday.
The amended Wildfire Prevention Act passed out of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on an 11-9 vote split along party lines and now heads to the full Senate. The act would nullify the 2001 roadless rule, which prevents logging and roadbuilding on nearly 59 million acres of national forest land, including roughly 4 million acres in Utah.
Planned forest fires have wider benefits than previously thought
Setting intentional forest fires and letting other low-severity ones burn can significantly lower the chances of extreme blazes torching those same areas in the future, according to a new study released Thursday, while reducing toxic smoke over time.
Those controlled blazes, known as prescribed burns, can offer fire protection for more than a decade, the researchers found in a paper published in the journal Science. The findings are the latest in a robust body of research showing how managed fires can reduce the chances of megafires.
A U.S. senator pushed to cut firefighting aircraft inspections the same month his former company failed one
A little over a year ago, Sen. Tim Sheehy floated an audacious proposal to reshape the way the federal government fights wildfires. It called for expanding the use of private planes and helicopters to quickly attack blazes while also eliminating the U.S. Forest Service’s rigorous airworthiness inspections for those aircraft.
The idea stood to benefit Sheehy, a Montana Republican, personally. Before running for Congress, he founded and ran an aerial firefighting company called Bridger Aerospace, which is known for its scoopers, aircraft built to retrieve water from lakes or oceans and drop it onto fires. Since 2021, the Forest Service has paid Bridger more than $235 million for use of its scoopers, according to public records.
US drought tests Trump strategy of logging to fight wildfire
Forest thinning can reduce wildfire intensity, severity, and spread even in extreme drought, but only if it’s done based on unique local conditions and is followed up with intentionally-set prescribed fire, said Tony Cheng, director of the Colorado Forest Restoration Institute at Colorado State University.
“Logging on its own, without prescribed fire, can intensify fires if a lot of logging debris is left on site,” he said. “The most effective land treatment to limit the unwanted impacts of wildfire is, ironically, fire – prescribed fire or managed wildland fire.”
Trump’s new wildfire agency Is betting on a risky firefighting strategy
Full suppression fire management—which aims to extinguish all wildfires as quickly as possible—is highly controversial. As widespread drought conditions, historically low mountain snowpack, and record-warm temperatures set the stage for a longer season with a greater risk of large, fast-moving fires, some experts are raising concerns about the potential consequences of the new agency’s strategy.
Full suppression fire management—which aims to extinguish all wildfires as quickly as possible—is highly controversial. As widespread drought conditions, historically low mountain snowpack, and record-warm temperatures set the stage for a longer season with a greater risk of large, fast-moving fires, some experts are raising concerns about the potential consequences of the new agency’s strategy.
Trump wants to remake the way we fight wildfires. The stakes couldn’t be higher.
Nearly a dozen Senate and House Democrats, including Sens. Martin Heinrich (New Mexico) and Jeff Merkley (Oregon), sent a letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum in February opposing the unified fire agency’s creating, citing concerns about understaffing at agencies such as BLM.
They also criticized the administration for launching the agency with little input from the public or Congress.
“We are concerned that the DOI is advancing a rapid and consequential restructuring of wildfire management without adequate analysis, transparency, or planning to prevent disruption during what is expected to be a significant fire season or to safeguard long-term wildfire preparedness,” they wrote.
Nearly a dozen Senate and House Democrats, including Sens. Martin Heinrich (New Mexico) and Jeff Merkley (Oregon), sent a letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum in February opposing the unified fire agency’s creating, citing concerns about understaffing at agencies such as BLM.
They also criticized the administration for launching the agency with little input from the public or Congress.
“We are concerned that the DOI is advancing a rapid and consequential restructuring of wildfire management without adequate analysis, transparency, or planning to prevent disruption during what is expected to be a significant fire season or to safeguard long-term wildfire preparedness,” they wrote.
Wildfire forecast, Part 2: A fractured federal Wildland Fire Service. Feds say they’re ready for fire season, although big consolidation plans remain in limbo
Consolidating federal firefighting has been an active topic for many non-governmental organizations. Luke Mayfield, past president of Grassroots Wildland Firefighters, told a recent Zoom gathering of the group’s membership that supporting a consolidated federal firefighting service remained a top priority. But he cautioned that all land-management responsibilities needed to be included: “It’s not just a suppression agency, but a holistic wildland fire management agency,” Mayfield said. “Otherwise, we’re just trying to squeeze more blood out of the same stone.”
Consolidating federal firefighting has been an active topic for many non-governmental organizations. Luke Mayfield, past president of Grassroots Wildland Firefighters, told a recent Zoom gathering of the group’s membership that supporting a consolidated federal firefighting service remained a top priority. But he cautioned that all land-management responsibilities needed to be included: “It’s not just a suppression agency, but a holistic wildland fire management agency,” Mayfield said. “Otherwise, we’re just trying to squeeze more blood out of the same stone.”
USDA is asking contractors and others to weigh in before it launches a study on moving wildfire management to the Interior Department.
The Trump administration is inching forward on its proposal to take the Forest Service out of the fire suppression business.
The Trump administration is inching forward on its proposal to take the Forest Service out of the fire suppression business.
Fire season started early. Is the federal government ready?
With Trump’s proposal, Congress has chosen to slow things down in two ways. First, the appropriations bill package passed by the Senate in January didn’t allocate funding for the USWFS, instead allocating funding for wildland firefighting separately to the Forest Service and Interior. The administration had asked for $6.5 billion for the new agency.
Congress has also said the idea has to be studied further, which could end up derailing it. In a letter sent to Burgum on February 5 by nearly a dozen senators and representatives, the administration is criticized for a lack of detail. “We are concerned that the DOI is advancing a rapid and consequential restructuring of wildfire management,” the letter says, “without adequate analysis, transparency, or planning to prevent disruption during what is expected to be a significant fire season or to safeguard long-term wildfire preparedness.”
With Trump’s proposal, Congress has chosen to slow things down in two ways. First, the appropriations bill package passed by the Senate in January didn’t allocate funding for the USWFS, instead allocating funding for wildland firefighting separately to the Forest Service and Interior. The administration had asked for $6.5 billion for the new agency.
Congress has also said the idea has to be studied further, which could end up derailing it. In a letter sent to Burgum on February 5 by nearly a dozen senators and representatives, the administration is criticized for a lack of detail. “We are concerned that the DOI is advancing a rapid and consequential restructuring of wildfire management,” the letter says, “without adequate analysis, transparency, or planning to prevent disruption during what is expected to be a significant fire season or to safeguard long-term wildfire preparedness.”
Wildfire seasons are starting to overlap. That spells trouble for firefighting.
“If a fire season is increasing and eventually overlapping, it will shrink the window of opportunity to help each other in terms of firefighting,” said Cong Yin, a climate scientist at the University of California, Merced, who led the new study. “These changes are attributable to climate change, so we need to mitigate climate change if we want to avoid this future.”
“If a fire season is increasing and eventually overlapping, it will shrink the window of opportunity to help each other in terms of firefighting,” said Cong Yin, a climate scientist at the University of California, Merced, who led the new study. “These changes are attributable to climate change, so we need to mitigate climate change if we want to avoid this future.”
How protecting wilderness could mean purposefully tending it, not just leaving it alone
Scholars recognize prescribed burning as an effective strategy to protect forests from catastrophic fires, though it remains controversial in wilderness as human intervention. Government policy allows lightning-ignited wildfires to burn in federal wilderness areas in certain circumstances, but most of these fires are still suppressed – a human intervention that is widely accepted.
Scholars recognize prescribed burning as an effective strategy to protect forests from catastrophic fires, though it remains controversial in wilderness as human intervention. Government policy allows lightning-ignited wildfires to burn in federal wilderness areas in certain circumstances, but most of these fires are still suppressed – a human intervention that is widely accepted.
Scientists have found another alarming pattern in wildfires. Around the world, the conditions that brew massive blazes are...syncing up?
The extreme heat, high winds, and severe dry conditions that produce towering, fast-moving flames that advance by the acre are not just becoming more common; new research shows that these factors are increasingly arising in multiple regions at the same time, creating the conditions for simultaneous wildfires around the world.
The increasing threat from wildfires is also taxing for firefighters, who are not just facing more dangers to their lives and limbs, but also to their mental health. Field said the study shows that everyone should start preparing for the threat of simultaneous severe fire.
It’s clear then that we can’t simply rely on firefighting to cope with this problem.
The extreme heat, high winds, and severe dry conditions that produce towering, fast-moving flames that advance by the acre are not just becoming more common; new research shows that these factors are increasingly arising in multiple regions at the same time, creating the conditions for simultaneous wildfires around the world.
The increasing threat from wildfires is also taxing for firefighters, who are not just facing more dangers to their lives and limbs, but also to their mental health. Field said the study shows that everyone should start preparing for the threat of simultaneous severe fire.
It’s clear then that we can’t simply rely on firefighting to cope with this problem.
Firefighters wore gear containing “forever chemicals.” The Forest Service knew and stayed silent for years.
According to multiple wildland firefighters and government officials familiar with contracting and purchasing, the Forest Service never told rank-and-file wildland firefighters that their pants might contain PFAS.
According to multiple wildland firefighters and government officials familiar with contracting and purchasing, the Forest Service never told rank-and-file wildland firefighters that their pants might contain PFAS.
Wildfire urgency unites Congress. The ‘Fix Our Forests’ Act does not.
“There are some good things in FOFA,” said Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), noting provisions that would deploy new wildfire monitoring tools. But he warned the legislation reflects misplaced priorities and lacks “real funding solutions” to back up lawmakers’ stated commitments to fire resilience.
Democrats also voiced frustration with Republicans for holding repeated hearings on FOFA while declining to examine how the Trump administration is reshaping, and in some cases hollowing out, federal agencies tasked with managing public lands and fighting fires.
“There are some good things in FOFA,” said Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), noting provisions that would deploy new wildfire monitoring tools. But he warned the legislation reflects misplaced priorities and lacks “real funding solutions” to back up lawmakers’ stated commitments to fire resilience.
Democrats also voiced frustration with Republicans for holding repeated hearings on FOFA while declining to examine how the Trump administration is reshaping, and in some cases hollowing out, federal agencies tasked with managing public lands and fighting fires.
Letting Drago Bravo Fire burn made future Grand Canyon wildfires less likely, writer says
President Donald Trump’s appointee to lead the Forest Service has argued that wildfires should instead be suppressed as quickly as possible.
But controlled burns have wide-ranging environmental benefits, and science journalist M.R. O’Connor says the potential positive impacts of Dragon Bravo shouldn’t be ignored.
O’Connor is the author of the book “Ignition: Lighting Fires in a Burning World.” She says periodic wildfires are necessary for the rejuvenation of the forest ecosystem. Among other things, it returns nutrients to the soil and opens up the tree canopy to encourage biodiversity.
President Donald Trump’s appointee to lead the Forest Service has argued that wildfires should instead be suppressed as quickly as possible.
But controlled burns have wide-ranging environmental benefits, and science journalist M.R. O’Connor says the potential positive impacts of Dragon Bravo shouldn’t be ignored.
The U.S. Wildland Fire Service has officially launched; but Congress has decided not to fund it
Hicks’ organization is concerned that the USWFS will focus too heavily on wildfire suppression, as opposed to mitigation policies like prescribed fire. Many researchers and officials say that there is an extraordinary deficit of low- and moderate-intensity fires on Western landscapes. More than a century of aggressive fire suppression has allowed for the buildup of fuels, which the Forest Service itself has acknowledged as a contributor “to what is now a full-blown wildfire and forest health crisis.”
“This is going in the opposite direction of getting fire back on the landscape,” Hicks said of the new agency. “And really divorces suppressing fires from natural resource management.”
Hicks’ organization is concerned that the USWFS will focus too heavily on wildfire suppression, as opposed to mitigation policies like prescribed fire. Many researchers and officials say that there is an extraordinary deficit of low- and moderate-intensity fires on Western landscapes. More than a century of aggressive fire suppression has allowed for the buildup of fuels, which the Forest Service itself has acknowledged as a contributor “to what is now a full-blown wildfire and forest health crisis.”
“This is going in the opposite direction of getting fire back on the landscape,” Hicks said of the new agency. “And really divorces suppressing fires from natural resource management.”
Interior’s new Fire Service could siphon off thousands of BLM staff
"There are definitely concerns on this change because fire crews are used to help with work in the field like clearing trails or repairing fences when there is down time and no one is sure if that practice will be able to continue."
The ambitious consolidation of fire employees could set up friction with some members of Congress, who recently denied an effort by the Trump administration to create a wildfire agency at Interior to take over fire management from the U.S. Forest Service, which is under the Agriculture Department. Congress instead ordered the Interior Department to study the concept.
"There are definitely concerns on this change because fire crews are used to help with work in the field like clearing trails or repairing fences when there is down time and no one is sure if that practice will be able to continue."
The ambitious consolidation of fire employees could set up friction with some members of Congress, who recently denied an effort by the Trump administration to create a wildfire agency at Interior to take over fire management from the U.S. Forest Service, which is under the Agriculture Department. Congress instead ordered the Interior Department to study the concept.
Interior launches consolidated U.S. Wildland Fire Service
It appears the new agency is suppression-focused, Steve Ellis, a western Oregon resident who chairs the National Association of Forest Service Retirees, told Capital Press.
“While consolidating agencies might appear to be more efficient for fixing the catastrophic wildfire problem, successful wildland fire management involves much more than suppression,” he said. “The critical linkage between fire suppression and land management, including fuels reduction and prescribed fire, must be maintained.”
It appears the new agency is suppression-focused, Steve Ellis, a western Oregon resident who chairs the National Association of Forest Service Retirees, told Capital Press.
“While consolidating agencies might appear to be more efficient for fixing the catastrophic wildfire problem, successful wildland fire management involves much more than suppression,” he said. “The critical linkage between fire suppression and land management, including fuels reduction and prescribed fire, must be maintained.”