President Donald Trump has issued an order to consolidate the US wildland firefighting force into a single program, aiming to centralize efforts currently managed by five agencies and two cabinet departments. The proposed creation of a Federal Wildland Fire Service under the US interior department would involve shifting personnel from the US Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service amid an already active fire season. The order, prompted by the Los Angeles wildfires, emphasizes the need for a quicker response to wildfires.

Despite the administration’s claims, concerns have been raised about the potential costs and risks associated with restructuring firefighting efforts during peak wildfire season. The order, which does not address climate change, also directs the defense secretary to prioritize the sale of excess aircraft for wildfire response. Last year, over 65,000 wildfires burned nearly 9 million acres across the US.

Critics, including firefighter organizations and former forest service officials, warn that consolidating firefighting work could increase the likelihood of catastrophic fires, posing risks to communities, firefighters, and resources. While a previous proposal to merge the forest service and interior department faced criticism, bipartisan support for a similar plan has emerged, with Senators Alex Padilla and Tim Sheehy sponsoring legislation in line with Trump’s initiative.

This move comes on the heels of the Trump administration’s rollback of environmental safeguards on logging projects in national forests, covering vast areas with high wildfire risk. With expectations of another intense fire season driven by above-normal temperatures, the potential consequences of restructuring firefighting efforts remain a topic of debate.