Trump Targets U.S. Forest Service Cuts as West Faces 2026 Fire Season
Updated
Updated · NPR · Jun 12
Trump Targets U.S. Forest Service Cuts as West Faces 2026 Fire Season
3 articles · Updated · NPR · Jun 12
Summary
Trump is pushing to shrink the U.S. Forest Service and scrap federal wildfire and smoke research as the American West heads into the 2026 summer fire season.
The move hits fire-preparedness capacity and scientific work at the same moment officials expect a potentially severe burn season across Western states.
Wildfire and smoke research helps guide forecasting, response planning and public-health warnings, making the proposed cuts significant beyond the agency itself.
The clash sets up a broader test of whether the federal government will reduce fire-management resources just as climate-driven wildfire risks remain elevated.
With wildfire smoke now directly linked to cancer, why is the leading federal research on it being dismantled?
If preventive forest treatments save billions in damages, what is the real economic cost of eliminating the science behind them?
2026 Wildfire Surge: Staffing Cuts, Research Loss, and the US Forest Service’s Struggle to Protect 8 Million Acres
Overview
In 2026, the United States is facing a severe and early wildfire season, with forecasts predicting a sharp rise in both the number of fires and the acreage burned. Southern California is already battling massive wildfires, and experts warn that frequent lightning could put states like Idaho at high risk. While a predicted El Niño may bring some rain later in the summer, immediate relief is uncertain. At the same time, the U.S. Forest Service is deeply understaffed due to recent federal cuts, making it harder to manage the escalating crisis and protect communities from wildfire threats.