Trump Weakened Our Wildfire Preparedness, and the Republican Shutdown Is Making It Worse

Washington, D.C. – Trump’s cuts to the U.S. Forest Service have slowed wildfire prevention efforts and weakened our preparedness – leaving communities vulnerable. Earlier this summer, Trump’s gutting of the U.S. Forest Service led to severe understaffing, leaving wildland firefighters without critical support on the frontlines. As of September, wildfire prevention efforts had fallen significantly behind the 2024 levels and were trailing the ten-year average. Now, the Republican shutdown is making it even worse by halting critical prevention efforts – impacting our future preparedness and increasing the risk of wildfires. Wildfires are becoming increasingly dangerous, with studies showing that 70,000 Americans will be killed by exposure to wildfire smoke by 2050. 

Climate Power communications director Alex Glass issued the following statement: “In the middle of wildfire season, Trump has put lives at risk by gutting our wildfire response. Trump promised to strengthen our wildfire preparedness, but his massive cuts have put critical prevention efforts at risk – leaving us unprepared and vulnerable. Now, Republicans would rather shut down the government and completely halt our already weakened wildfire prevention efforts than give up tax breaks for their billionaire donors.”