As large wildfires burn across the Pacific Northwest and the nation, fire policy experts, union officials, and state leaders are raising urgent concerns about a significant reduction in the federal wildfire workforce — one that they say is already straining the nation's capacity to respond to a fire season tracking well above historical norms.

The Workforce Numbers

According to an analysis by the Center for Western Priorities published this week, the U.S. Forest Service has lost nearly 6,000 permanent employees — approximately 16% of its total workforce — through layoffs, buyouts, and early retirements since early 2025. Across all federal land agencies, heading into the 2026 fire season, the total reduction exceeded 26,000 staff.

The consequences for fire readiness are significant: fuels reduction work — prescribed burning and mechanical treatment that reduces wildfire risk — declined by 35% in 2025 compared to 2024, representing roughly 1.4 million fewer acres treated. Those untreated acres represent potential fuel for catastrophic fires in 2026 and beyond.

Firefighter Morale and Safety

A survey of federal wildland firefighters conducted by Grassroots Wildland Firefighters and reported by NPR found widespread concerns about low morale, staffing shortages, and health and safety risks among those still on the job. With fewer people available and the same or greater fire workloads, crews face longer shifts, reduced rest opportunities, and higher operational stress.

Three firefighters were killed fighting the Knowles Fire in western Colorado earlier this summer, and their deaths prompted renewed scrutiny of administration fire policy. One of the fatalities was employed by the newly established U.S. Wildland Fire Service — an entity created by the Department of the Interior in January 2026 by drawing personnel from four Interior agencies without the customary congressional approval process. The Trump administration says the new service reflects a unified approach to wildland fire; critics call it a reorganization that undermines existing expertise and oversight.

State Officials Worried

Washington State's elected Public Lands Commissioner, Dave Upthegrove, has been among the most vocal state officials sounding the alarm. Upthegrove has said publicly that federal layoffs are "presenting risk as to our ability to respond to major wildfires," particularly because many of the permanent agency staff who were let go held "red cards" — wildland fire qualifications that allowed them to deploy as firefighters or incident command team members during emergencies. Elite incident command teams are a shared national resource that states depend on during large fires, and a reduction in the depth of that talent pool has direct consequences for states like Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.

Administration Response

The U.S. Forest Service has stated publicly that it is "fully staffed" heading into the 2026 fire season, a claim that NPR and independent analysts have disputed. The administration also revived a longstanding but previously discredited policy of aggressive initial attack — aiming to extinguish all fires quickly rather than allowing some low-intensity fires to burn under managed conditions. Critics of that approach argue it leads to larger and more catastrophic fires over time by allowing fuel loads to accumulate.

The Bottom Line for PNW Communities

For communities across Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, the debate over federal firefighting capacity is not abstract. With 36 large fires burning nationally, a season tracking 60% above last year's acreage pace, and National Preparedness Level at 4, the ability to rapidly staff up incident command teams and mobilize resources to new fires is being tested in real time. Communities that have invested in local preparedness — defensible space, evacuation planning, and mutual aid agreements — will be better positioned regardless of federal staffing levels.