US EditionTrump moves to merge wildland firefighting into single force, despite ex-officials warning of chaos
- President Donald Trump ordered on Thursday the consolidation of federal wildland firefighting staff into a single force under the Interior Department.
- This order follows calls to improve wildfire response after the January Los Angeles fires and directs a 90-day timeline for Interior and Agriculture to unify firefighting programs.
- The new Federal Wildland Fire Service will combine crews from five land management agencies while emphasizing state and local wildfire prevention and response using technology.
- Senator Tim Sheehy praised the move as "America First common sense," but former officials and firefighter groups warned of costly disruptions during an active fire season.
- The reorganization aims for efficiency, but critics note that cuts to federal firefighting staff and a short implementation period could undermine wildfire management.
73 Articles
73 Articles
Montana Standard
Trump orders creation of new federal wildfire agency
With fire season already underway in many western states, President Donald Trump on Thursday directed federal agencies to begin combining their wildland firefighting staff into a new, unified wildfire force.
Associated Press News
Trump moves to merge wildland firefighting into single force, despite ex-officials warning of chaos
President Donald Trump has told government agencies to consolidate their wildland firefighting into a single program.
What is the U.S. Wildland Fire Service? - Taxpayers for Common Sense
The President’s fiscal year (FY) 2026 budget request would create a new agency within the Department of the Interior (DOI) to consolidate all federal wildfire responsibilities. Building on the “Skinny” Budget released May 2, the White House quietly released pieces of its fiscal year (FY) 2026 budget request late in the day on May 30—including the Fiscal Year 2026 Interior Budget in Brief U.S. Wildland Fire Service. The Budget in Brief outlines h…
Trump orders consolidation of federal wildland firefighting under Interior Department
President Trump has ordered the consolidation of federal wildfire response into a new agency under the Interior Department, moving thousands from the Forest Service despite expert warnings of higher costs and increased fire risks
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