Don’t Buy the Spin: Trump’s Cuts to the U.S. Forest Service Are Making Us Less Prepared for Wildfires
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Washington, DC – Today, as Trump’s U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz testifies before the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, he must answer for Trump’s cuts to USFS that are leaving us less prepared for wildfires. As the climate crisis causes more heat waves and severe droughts across the country, massive wildfires are becoming more frequent and deadly, putting people at greater risk. Meanwhile, Trump is weakening the agencies that help communities mitigate and respond to wildfires and slashing the resources meant to keep us safe.
“Closing Forest Service research stations and regional offices at a time when wildfires are growing larger, faster, and more destructive is a dangerous step backward,” said Bobbie Scopa, Vice President of Grassroots Wildland Firefighters and experienced fire service leader. “These offices were created to help communities prepare for and respond to fire danger before disaster strikes. Weakening that infrastructure means slower response, less prevention, and more communities left vulnerable. After spending decades on the frontlines of some of this country’s worst fires and disasters, I can tell you plainly: reducing these resources will only make things more difficult for communities and firefighters.”
As wildfires become more frequent, Trump’s cuts are weakening our ability to respond:
- The climate crisis has caused the frequency and intensity of extreme wildfires to more than double in the past two decades.
- Trump is gutting the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) — weakening the federal government’s ability to properly mitigate, manage, and respond to wildfires at a moment when the risks are higher than ever.
- Trump plans to close regional USFS offices where wildfire risk is growing and will leave high-risk states to face intensifying wildfire threats with fewer federal resources.
- The USFS already lost thousands of jobs because of Trump’s cuts, weakening its capacity to prevent and respond to wildfires. In 2025, the agency lost 16% of its workforce, compared to an average 12% reduction across other federal agencies, due to Trump’s cuts.
- Amidst understaffing at USFS last year, the Trump administration fell behind on critical wildfire prevention efforts, reducing vegetation on almost 1.5 million fewer acres than in 2024.