Trump funding freeze halts wildfire prevention work [View all]

Source: Reuters

February 14, 2025 7:38 PM EST Updated 11 hours ago


Feb 14 (Reuters) - The Trump administration has halted funding for federal programs to reduce wildfire risk in western U.S. states and has frozen hiring of seasonal firefighters as part of broad cuts to government spending, according to organizations impacted by the moves. The reduction in resources for wildfire prevention comes a month after devastating blazes in Los Angeles that are expected to be the costliest in U.S. history, with some expecting losses as high as $35 billion.

The Oregon-based non-profit Lomakatsi Restoration Project said its contracts with the federal agencies, including the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to reduce hazardous fuels in Oregon, California and Idaho, have been frozen. "The funding freeze has impacted more than 30 separate grants and agreements that Lomakatsi has with federal agencies, including pending awards as well as active agreements that are already putting work on the ground," Executive Director Marko Bey said in a letter to U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, an Oregon Democrat.

In an interview, Bey said his organization was forced to lay off 15 people and issue stop work orders on many active projects, impacting other jobs in the region. About 65% of the organization's budget comes from funding allocated under the Inflation Reduction Act, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act - laws enacted under former U.S. President Joe Biden.

"It doesn't matter what your political perspective is, we all agree we have to reduce fire hazards," Bey said. "But right now, with the funding freeze, we can't operate programs because of the uncertainty of when we are going to get paid." The American Loggers Council, a logging industry group, said the funding freeze has also stopped work under the $20 million Hazardous Fuels Transportation Assistance program, which pays for removing dead wood from forests.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-funding-freeze-halts-wildfire-prevention-work-2025-02-14/