Wildfire response overhaul sparks backlash as Trump centralizes firefighting authority
President Trump ordered a sweeping restructuring of the U.S. wildland firefighting system, transferring authority to a new centralized agency despite expert warnings about costs and heightened risks as fire season intensifies.
The Guardian staff and agencies report.
In short:
- Trump signed an executive order to consolidate wildland firefighting operations under the Department of the Interior, shifting responsibilities away from the U.S. Forest Service, which currently manages most federal firefighters.
- Fire experts, including former Forest Service chiefs, warned the plan could backfire by disrupting coordination and increasing the chance of severe wildfires during a dangerously hot and dry season.
- The administration provided no cost estimates and omitted any mention of climate change, though wildfires are growing more intense as temperatures rise and forests decline.
Key quote:
Consolidation of firefighting work could ‘actually increase the likelihood of more large catastrophic fires, putting more communities, firefighters and resources at risk.’
— Former U.S. Forest Service chiefs in a letter to lawmakers
Why this matters:
The U.S. faces increasingly destructive wildfire seasons, fueled by rising temperatures, drought, and forest degradation from pests and disease. Centralizing firefighting command may aspire to increase efficiency, but experts fear the move will sow confusion at the worst possible time. Thousands of firefighting personnel could be reassigned just as wildfires are expected to worsen across the West, South, and even the Northeast. Already, more than nine million acres burned last year. Effective wildfire management requires coordinated efforts across agencies and localities. Breaking apart that infrastructure mid-crisis could delay response times and stretch thinning resources.
Read more: How federal neglect fuels wildfire crises on tribal lands
