@USFS

Federal legislators are raising concerns that cuts to the U.S. Forest Service staffing under President Donald Trump’s administration have stymied progress on fuels mitigation work nationwide. U.S. Sens. John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet were among the 12 senators who signed a Dec. 2 letter to Forest Service Chief Tim Schultz, demanding answers about the impacts of the cuts. “We write with significant concerns regarding the persistent wildland firefighter staffing shortages at the U.S. Forest Service, leading to a significant decline in planned wildfire prevention work in high-risk, fire-prone areas,” the letter states. …While the administration said federal cuts wouldn’t impact wildfire preparedness, the Forest Service ultimately … had to hire employees back. Still, the Trump administration has maintained that the Forest Service has adequate resources and staffing to manage wildfire preparedness and response on federal lands and that it has exceeded hazardous fuel mitigation goals in some Western states.