A comprehensive new report from Stanford University's Climate and Energy Policy Program, released November 4, is calling on policymakers to dramatically expand the use of prescribed burns, forest thinning, and home hardening programs — as the country reckons with one of its most destructive wildfire seasons on record and the federal government undertakes a major restructuring of its wildland fire workforce.

The report provides a sweeping overview of wildfire's economic and social impacts — from destroyed homes to rising electric bills and strained public budgets — and comes as Oregon, Washington, and Idaho evaluate their own preparedness and response systems after the brutal 2026 season.

Key Findings

  • Wildfire prevention and response spending has increased substantially but remains insufficient relative to the scale of the threat.
  • Prescribed burns are among the most cost-effective tools for reducing wildfire risk, but regulatory barriers, smoke management rules, and workforce limitations have constrained their use.
  • Home hardening — improvements to building materials, vents, and defensible space — can dramatically reduce structural loss even when fires burn through the wildland-urban interface.
  • The gap between current treatment rates and what is needed to meaningfully reduce fire risk across western landscapes remains vast.

Federal Workforce Restructuring

The report's release coincides with ongoing restructuring of the federal wildland fire workforce. The U.S. Wildland Fire Service, established to consolidate and professionalize federal fire management, has taken over coordination of prescribed burning and suppression activities previously managed through separate agency structures at the USDA Forest Service and Department of the Interior.

The transition has brought both opportunity and uncertainty. The new agency's unified command structure is expected to streamline interagency coordination, but fire managers in Oregon and Idaho report that some administrative processes are still being worked out as the organization finds its footing heading into the 2027 season.

Forest Opportunity and Fuels Act (FOFA)

At the federal policy level, advocates are pointing to the Forest Opportunity and Fuels Act (FOFA) as a legislative vehicle to accelerate fuel reduction. The legislation would authorize more prescribed burning, forest thinning, and targeted grazing projects on federal lands — approaches that research consistently shows can slow fire spread and reduce intensity.

"FOFA will authorize more prescribed burning, thinning and grazing projects which are proven to reduce wildfire risk by creating fuel breaks that slow a spreading fire," said one policy analyst who testified in support of the legislation.

Oregon and Washington Post-Season Reviews

Both Oregon and Washington are undertaking post-season reviews of their wildfire preparedness and resource allocation. Oregon Governor Tina Kotek has requested recommendations before the 2027 legislative session, with particular attention to pre-positioning resources, early detection systems, and community-level resilience programs.

In Washington, an equipment audit surfaced concerns including aging wildland fire apparatus at some rural fire districts. A South Whidbey Island fire department reported a broken brush truck as a readiness concern heading into future fire seasons — illustrating the resource gaps that persist at the community level even as national policy focuses on federal land management and large-scale fuel treatment programs.

Fire management officials across the PNW broadly agree: the window to reduce fuel loads and harden communities is now, while fire weather is calm and before the 2027 season builds.