U.S. Forest Service

Consolidating wildfire response could professionalize the field and increase efficiencies, according to the expert WPR talked to. But it could also mean fewer of the collaborations that reduce the risk of destructive burns.

For three years now, Sacha Wells, an interpretive ranger for the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests, has made “Ground Squirrel High School” an annual summer exhibit. Last year’s theme was prom. This summer, it’s spirit week.

The Forest Service's new chief recently published a letter that called for wildfires to be suppressed "as swiftly as possible." That may sound prudent to many, but it raised eyebrows among some who study fire policy. They worried that it may signal a return to aggressive suppression that has been linked to growing wildfire severity.

Wyoming’s Governor and Congressional representative voiced support for the proposal, which now excludes national forests but still offers up BLM parcels for housing. Meanwhile, residents are planning a statewide protest.

President Trump has signed an executive order on wildfire policy, which seeks to speed responses to wildfires and address what it calls “reckless mismanagement.”

“Come back to work.” That’s the message from the U.S. Forest Service’s new chief, Tom Schultz, to recently-retired workers.

Tom Schultz, the head of the U.S. Forest Service, is calling for wildfires to be extinguished “as swiftly as possible this season.” But aggressive suppression policies are widely believed to be one of the key culprits in the current wildfire crisis.

Prescribed burns can be a valuable tool when preventing damage from increasingly destructive and wildfires driven by climate change. These projects, however, require significant staffing and logistical planning, making their future uncertain as the federal government looks to slash federal agencies.

Environmentalists decried the move, but some in the timber industry say this could boost the economy and prevent fires.

Several former employees of the Bridger-Teton National Forest and other forests received emails on March 18 that have left them “cautiously optimistic” they may have their jobs back. But the uncertainty of the future remains.