US Edition
Trump moves to merge wildland firefighting into single force, despite ex-officials warning of chaos
- President Donald Trump ordered federal agencies on June 13, 2025, to merge wildland firefighting staff into a single force under the Interior Department.
- This action follows concerns about wildfire response speed highlighted by the January Los Angeles fires and builds on legislation sponsored by Sen. Tim Sheehy.
- The new Federal Wildland Fire Service would consolidate crews from multiple agencies, shift personnel from the Agriculture Department's Forest Service, and emphasize state and local wildfire prevention through advanced technology.
- Officials said the reorganization will not be complete until 2026 and noted that the Trump budget proposes creation of this service without disclosing its cost, while some firefighters and former officials warned of costly disruptions during active fire season.
- The consolidation aims to improve coordination and wildfire response efficiency but raises debate over funding cuts to state and rural firefighting and concerns that restructuring could increase risks to communities and firefighters.
71 Articles
71 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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