A bipartisan group of U.S. senators sent an urgent letter to federal agency heads this week, warning that the nation's wildland firefighting system is dangerously strained after one of the most brutal fire seasons in modern history — and that conditions may grow worse before they improve.

The Warning

In a September 11 letter to Interior Secretary Doug Bergum and USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) raised serious concerns about federal preparedness for the remainder of the 2026 fire season.

"Record-breaking high temperatures and historic drought have led to catastrophic fires across the West, destroying thousands of homes, wreaking havoc on the economies of rural communities, stressing the budgets of local governments, and leading to the loss of four wildland firefighters and two pilots," the senators wrote.

Resources Stretched to the Limit

Between July 18 and September 4, the nation's firefighting force operated at National Preparedness Level 5 — the maximum — for 47 consecutive days with federal resources fully committed. Over $6 billion in fire suppression budget authority was dedicated by the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Wildland Fire Service in 2026, with nearly the entire suppression budget exhausted as of September 2.

The senators expressed alarm that resources and funding could run out entirely before the fire season concludes, noting that the West is expected to remain in peak fire season with hot, dry, and windy conditions for at least the next two months.

Staffing Concerns

The letter raised specific concerns about personnel shortfalls, stating that agencies "simply do not have enough highly qualified personnel, Incident Management Teams, and supervisory staff to sustain operations."

The senators' offices received reports that:

  • Teams have worked more fires than is safe, using temporary supervisory structures because fully qualified personnel are unavailable
  • Locally-led initial attack was disrupted by national mobilization demands
  • Personnel have worked repeated or extended assignments beyond safe limits
  • The high wildland firefighter fatality rate this season makes continued overextension especially dangerous

Legislative Backdrop

The letter comes as several pieces of wildfire legislation move through Congress. In July, Padilla and Senate Environment and Public Works Committee members introduced the bipartisan Wildfire Emissions Prevention Act (WEPA) of 2026, which would make it easier for states and communities to use prescribed fire to prevent wildfire emissions and protect ecosystems.

Padilla and colleagues also recently pressed the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to crack down on prediction markets allowing individuals to bet on wildfires — a practice the senators view as ethically problematic and potentially dangerous.

Oregon's Stake

Senator Wyden, the lone Northwest voice on the letter, has particular reason for concern. Oregon currently has eight large active fires and has already seen one line-of-duty firefighter death at the Austin Fire in Mount Hood National Forest this season. The state's communities and forests continue to bear heavy costs from an extended, intense fire season.