Risk Reduction & Suppression Resources
The consequences of increasing wildfires underline a need for proactive measures that minimize wildfire risk and enhance fire suppression capabilities. However, there is a recognized shortage of risk reduction and suppression resources even as the number of wildfires increase every year.
The US Forest Service spent over 50% of its budget on firefighting, which strained funding for other preventative measures such as fuel treatments and prescribed burns to reduce the risk of wildfire spread
Effective wildfire suppression also requires collaboration across federal, state, and local agencies, yet jurisdictional differences and resource limitations can hinder coordination…
The US Forest Service has often had to divert funds from preventative programs to cover firefighting costs, highlighting a cycle of underfunding risk reduction efforts. While Congress has begun to address this with additional emergency funding in recent years, the scale of need from growing wildfire damage outpaces available funds.
Key Points:
- Effective wildfire suppression also requires collaboration across federal, state, and local agencies.
- The scale of need from ongoing wildfire damage outpaces available funds for preventative measures.
- The Wildfire Alliance seeks Congressional help to address gaps in equipment, funding, and planning in the fight against wildfires.
Risk reduction and suppression resources are essential for reducing the potential for large, high-intensity wildfires. The rising frequency and intensity of wildfires, fueled by climate change, overgrown forests, and drought conditions, have made these proactive approaches even more critical. Investing in preventative measures, which are often less costly than suppression, can also decrease the need for extensive firefighting resources and protect local economies.
