Two years after the US Forest Service initiated the largest wildfire in New Mexico’s history, an independent investigation has highlighted areas needing improvement to ensure prescribed fires are used safely as a tool for risk reduction amid climate change.
As reported by AP News, the investigation, conducted by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and requested by US Representative Teresa Leger Fernández, examined the factors contributing to the escape of prescribed fires and assessed the agency’s adherence to promised reforms following the Hermit’s Peak-Calf Canyon Fire in 2022.
The GAO report, released on Monday, documented 43 escapes between 2012 and 2021 out of 50,000 prescribed fire projects, affecting national forests in over a dozen states, including California, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, Idaho, North Carolina, and Arkansas.
With federal funding increasing for prescribed burns over the next decade, Leger Fernández emphasized the need for safety.
The Forest Service responded to the GAO findings, with Chief Randy Moore stating that the agency agrees with the report and will implement a corrective action plan.
Moore highlighted 2023 as a record year for hazardous fuel treatments and noted efforts to expand training for crews specializing in prescribed burns.
The GAO’s investigation involved reviewing documents, interviewing forest officials, and making site visits over several months.
It found that the Forest Service has begun implementing immediate recommended changes, including developing a national strategy for mobilizing resources for prescribed fire projects.
However, the GAO identified “important gaps” in the agency’s reform efforts, noting that the Forest Service has yet to fully determine the extent of remaining actions and their implementation timeline.
The GAO recommended that the Forest Service develop a comprehensive plan for implementing reforms, set measurable goals, and ensure sufficient resources are allocated for day-to-day management of the reform efforts.
The GAO pointed out that achieving these reforms would require significant changes to the Forest Service’s practices and culture.
Leger Fernández expressed hope for swift changes, citing the increasing danger and cost of wildfires: “They are killer fires now. They move very fast, and people cannot get out of the way fast enough.
“And I think that kind of massive emergency that they are will lead to faster change than you might normally see in a large federal bureaucracy.”
