Key Takeaways

• The western U.S. is burning more acres than in the past four years combined.
• Two-thirds of western forests are federal lands managed by U.S. agencies.
• Proposals aim to cut more trees to lower fire risk but speed up approvals.
• Public oversight and environmental reviews guide projects to the right places.
• Community partnerships and steady funding offer lasting ways to cut fire risk.

Why Fire Risk Is Rising in U.S. Forests

The western United States is facing a harsher wildfire season. In Colorado alone, 2025 saw more acres burn than in the last four years combined. Rising temperatures and dry conditions make forests into tinder boxes. If global warming stays on its current path, annual burned area could double or even triple by 2050. In other words, more fire is coming, more often.

Most of these forests sit on public land. Federal agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management oversee about two-thirds of western forests. These lands offer recreation, habitat, timber and open space. Yet they also fuel today’s largest blazes. Experts now debate what role federal land management should play in lowering fire risk.

Historically, controlled fires—both natural and set by Native peoples—kept forests open and reduced undergrowth. But over the last century, strict fire suppression halted these natural burns. As a result, trees, brush and fallen wood piled up. Today’s fires grow hotter and faster in this built-up fuel. Meanwhile, human-driven climate change has made the problem worse.

How Logging Affects Fire Risk

Some federal proposals focus on logging more trees to cut fire risk. In March 2025, the president ordered an immediate expansion of timber production. The U.S. Forest Service then pledged to boost timber sales on federal lands by 25 percent in four years. Meanwhile, lawmakers backed bills to speed up logging plans by cutting public comment time and limiting environmental reviews.

On the one hand, removing trees and brush can slow down a wildfire’s spread. Thinning in the right areas can reduce flame height and intensity. Thus, well-placed logging can ease fire risk near homes and roads. On the other hand, rushing projects without oversight can miss the spots that need work most.

First, many at-risk forests have small trees and brush with little market value. Without buyers for low-grade wood, logging crews focus on high-value timber. As a result, they skip over the thickets that fuel wildfires. Second, environmental reviews and public input help decide where work is most urgent. If agencies curb these steps, projects could favor easy targets rather than critical zones.

Why Oversight Matters

Reviewing plans under the National Environmental Policy Act takes time. Yet data shows these reviews rarely block fire-reduction projects. Between 2005 and 2018, more than 82 percent of Forest Service projects used categorical exclusions. These fast-track reviews skip detailed studies and public hearings. Still, fewer than 1 percent of projects faced legal challenges.

In fact, the real hurdles are fewer forest service staff, scarce contractors, and limited mills for low-value wood. Even fast approvals won’t add crews or build new processing plants. Instead, cutting analysis risks backfiring. Projects may ignore wildlife habitats, water quality or cultural sites. Also, without public comment, local groups can’t share vital on-the-ground knowledge.

Moreover, public involvement builds local support. When community members join planning, they learn how fuel reduction works. They also help set priorities near homes and schools. This shared ownership ensures work continues for years, not just one season. In contrast, top-down orders can stall once political attention moves on.

Tools Communities Use

Local groups, tribes, state agencies and fire districts already lead many projects. For example, the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program teams up all levels of government with private groups. They plan work across huge landscapes to stop fires before they reach towns. Similarly, the Good Neighbor Authority lets state partners thin federal forests under state rules. These approaches pool funds, crews and ideas.

Prescribed burning also plays a key role. Setting small, controlled fires under safe conditions clears litter and low brush. When done well, it restores forests to healthier states and lowers fire risk. Yet funding for prescribed fire has lagged, and many local crews lack resources to burn.

Solutions That Work

Trimming trees can help, but only with proper planning and community buy-in. To lower fire risk, Congress and agencies should:

• Invest in staff and contractors. More trained crews speed up safe thinning and burns.
• Fund local partnerships. Grants for tribes, counties and nonprofits boost on-the-ground work.
• Support mills for low-value wood. New markets turn brush into products, making projects profitable.
• Keep transparent reviews. Public input spots cultural sites, water sources and key wildlife areas.
• Expand prescribed fire. Controlled burns clear undergrowth and rebuild healthy forest cycles.

Furthermore, the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission recommends long-term, bipartisan funding for fuels projects. Their report stresses local leadership, shared decision-making and steady resources. These steps ensure that lowering fire risk becomes a lasting, not a one-off, effort.

Next Steps

We face no quick fixes for wildfires. Fast-tracked logging alone can’t solve the growing crisis. At best, it helps in limited spots; at worst, it wastes resources and deepens mistrust. Instead, lasting progress needs well-planned thinning, local partnerships and controlled burns. It also requires agencies to work across borders and share power with communities. Only then can we cut fire risk and protect both forests and people.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does climate change affect fire risk?

Warmer temperatures dry out soils, trees and brush. Drier conditions make it easier for fires to start and spread quickly.

What is prescribed fire and why is it useful?

Prescribed fire involves setting small, controlled burns under safe weather. It clears undergrowth and reduces fuel for wildfires.

Why isn’t logging alone enough to lower fire risk?

Logging often focuses on high-value timber. This leaves brush and small trees in critical areas untouched. Without planning, it can miss the worst fuel build-up.

How can I get involved in local fire-risk projects?

Contact your state forestry agency or local fire department. Many community groups welcome volunteers for thinning, planting and educational events.