Rosen, Colleagues Call on Trump Interior Secretary to Halt Action Threatening Fire Management Efforts

WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) joined Senate colleagues in a letter calling on Secretary of Interior Doug Burgum to halt efforts to separate wildfire management from land management agencies. The Trump Administration's misguided plan to restructure firefighting efforts without Congressional approval could harm fire management in states like Nevada, exacerbate existing staffing shortages, threaten land stewardship services, and place billions of taxpayer dollars at risk.

"We are concerned that the DOI is advancing a rapid and consequential restructuring of wildfire management without adequate analysis, transparency, or planning to prevent disruption during what is expected to be a significant fire season or to safeguard long-term wildfire preparedness," wrote the lawmakers. "While consolidation could be an effective strategy to improve efficiency and coordination, the Administration's approach risks diverting critical resources and funding away from land management agencies without any public plan to replace those capabilities. Equally troubling, the Department has not provided Congress with any information detailing how decoupling wildfire management from land management agencies is expected to improve the health of public lands, enhance communication and coordination, or better protect lives and private property from catastrophic wildfire."

"Mismanagement of fire management has life-or-death consequences and places billions of taxpayer dollars at risk. Suppression alone cannot be the sole strategy for addressing wildfire, and swift structural changes that undermine planning, prevention, preparedness, and recovery will only worsen outcomes," the lawmakers added.

Read the full letter HERE.

Senator Rosen has been leading efforts to reduce wildfire risk and protect Nevada communities. Last year, she helped secure over $4 million in funding for wildfire prevention efforts in Nevada and announced over $2 million in funding to support wildfire prevention education. Senator Rosen also helped deliver nearly $28 million in federal funding from two laws she helped pass to help prevent wildfires, including in Washoe, White Pine, Douglas, Lyon, Mineral, and Elko Counties.