With wildfires already blistering across the U.S. and drought becoming a constant, experts are gearing up for what could be a fierce fire season. Unfortunately, the U.S. Forest Service is stepping into it with less preparation than previous years.
In 2025, the Forest Service managed to reduce vegetation on about 1.5 million fewer acres compared to the year before. This significant drop follows a pattern seen during the last year of the Biden administration when over 4 million acres saw management efforts. One key area of decline is prescribed burns—controlled fires meant to clear dense undergrowth that can fuel wildfires. In 2025, these burns were cut down by half when compared to 2024 and 2023.
Despite the alarming rise in wildfires, many forests in the U.S. are overdue for such fires. Historically, forests naturally experienced low-intensity fires that cleared underbrush. Native Americans used controlled burns for centuries to maintain healthy ecosystems, but these practices reduced drastically in the last century due to policies focused on extinguishing all wildfires.
“The clock is ticking,” says Matthew Hurteau, a forest ecologist from the University of New Mexico. He emphasizes the need for timely intervention to mitigate fire risk. For example, in California’s Sierra Nevada, Hurteau and his team planned a vital prescribed burn to prevent potential catastrophic fires. Unfortunately, red tape delayed the process. Just when they were ready, the Garnet Fire ignited, consuming the forest quickly and destructively.
As wildfires grow more intense, the Forest Service has struggled with fewer hands on deck. A report revealed that the agency lost 16% of its workforce in recent years, which has limited its capacity to manage fire risks effectively.
Fire experts note that as burns diminish, the risk of extreme wildfires increases. Controlled burns offer firefighters a fighting chance, allowing them to operate more safely and effectively. Bobbie Scopa, from Grassroots Wildland Firefighters, stresses that reducing flammable materials is essential for firefighting strategy, not just for forest health.
Recent statistics reveal that while the Forest Service aims to cover more ground with prescribed burns, they have seen significant reductions. In 2023 and 2024, about 1.6 million acres were managed, but this fell dramatically to approximately 900,000 acres in 2025.
The gap in staffing and management only complicates matters further. Many personnel are tied up battling wildfires, which feeds into a cycle where less preventive work leads to more severe fires, which in turn overwhelms firefighting resources.
Wildfire conditions have worsened with longer seasons and more severe weather patterns. “We need more people. We need more firefighters, and we need folks to do the fuels work separately,” Scopa urges.
Controlled burns aren’t just about keeping forests healthy. They are crucial for creating safer conditions for firefighters to operate. Without these preventative measures, fighting fires becomes increasingly hazardous and challenging, making it vital to prioritize prescribed burning in fire management strategies.
For more information about the challenges and strategies in wildfire management, you can refer to USDA reports and wildfire statistics.
