A group of Democratic lawmakers, led by Representatives Scott Peters (CA-50), Jared Huffman (CA-02), and Joe Neguse (CO-02), has urged the Trump administration to restart wildfire prevention programs that were paused under recent executive orders.
According to a letter sent to the Secretaries of Agriculture, Interior, and Homeland Security, the lawmakers raised concerns about delays in hazardous fuel reduction, emergency planning, and firefighter hiring.
The lawmakers wrote: “The potential consequences of the President’s efforts to withhold these critical investments to the communities and lands that need them in a timely manner and as directed by Congress are grave.
“Without urgent corrective action from this administration, we will be less safe, less prepared, and more vulnerable to extreme wildfire threats.”
The lawmakers requested a full inventory of federal funding and assistance programs that have been paused.
The letter specifically asked for details on programs related to hazardous fuels management, community collaboration, firefighter training, wildfire research, and preparedness initiatives such as home hardening and defensible space measures.
They also sought information on how many acres were left untreated due to the pause, how many personnel had resigned or refused job offers, and which programs had resumed after a previous funding memo was rescinded.
One of the key concerns outlined in the letter is the hiring freeze affecting federal wildland firefighters.
The lawmakers cited reports that delays in onboarding personnel could impact suppression efforts across the western United States.
An official stated: “The inability to have workforce onboarded and ready to respond is going to have a negative impact on suppression efforts across the West… It’s having immediate impacts.”
The lawmakers requested a timeline for when the administration plans to resume hiring and funding disbursement to support wildfire mitigation and response.
Representative Peters also highlighted the Fix Our Forests Act, a bill he co-authored that aims to address wildfire risks through forest management and mitigation funding.
The bill, which recently passed the House with bipartisan support, is the only comprehensive wildfire legislation introduced in this Congress.
Peters and his colleagues argue that pausing federal disbursements undermines efforts to improve fire resilience and support frontline firefighters.
Lawmakers have called on the Trump administration to lift a hiring freeze for wildland firefighters and restart wildfire mitigation programs that were paused under recent executive orders.
Representatives Scott Peters, Jared Huffman, Joe Neguse, and 54 other Democratic members of Congress sent a letter to the Secretaries of Agriculture, Interior, and Homeland Security requesting details on the paused programs and a timeline for their reinstatement.
The letter highlights concerns about delays in hazardous fuel reduction, emergency planning, and firefighter training, citing reports that staffing shortages could impact wildfire suppression efforts.
Lawmakers also asked for information on the number of acres left untreated, the personnel affected by the freeze, and how the administration is monitoring wildfire readiness.
Peters also pointed to the Fix Our Forests Act, which he co-authored, as a key legislative effort to address wildfire risks.
The bill has passed the House with bipartisan support.
