r/Wildfire • u/Flat-Suggestion-8373 • Jun 01 '25
News (General) Additional FY26 Trump Budget Request Details - Forest Service
Details pulled from 2026 USDA Budget Summary: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2026-usda-budget-summary.pdf. Will post DOI details separately.
Pasting the WFM excerpt below, which confirms that all WFM program funding will be requested through DOI. Summary table outlines reductions to all FS account (e.g., -100% for Forest and Rangeland Research, -100% for State, Private, and Tribal Forestry, -48% for Capital Improvement and Maintenance, -34% for FS Operations, -30% for National Forest System). Overall, the request would reduce total discretionary approps for FS from $6.2b in FY25 to $2.1b in FY26.
“Wildland Fire Management The 2026 request will transfer the Forest Service Wildland Fire Management appropriations to DOI for the creation of the new U.S. Wildland Fire Service. This new DOI bureau will absorb the Forest Service Wildland Fire Management response program, including over 11,000 firefighters, 3,000 operational fire support personnel and leadership, and nearly 450 business support personnel. In addition, the Joint Fire Science program previously within the Forest and Rangeland Research account will be transferred to DOI to support the U.S. Wildland Fire Service.”
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u/BatSniper Jun 01 '25
Honestly the forest service will collapse without the income that comes from fire programs. I could see lots of national forest lands either being left unmanaged due to short staffing or sold to the highest bidder.
I don’t think consolidating the wildfire programs is a bad thing, I just think the transition is going to be brutal for us foresters in the public sector that just do a few fire assignments a year.