The U.S. Forest Service completed work on roughly 1.5 million fewer acres of wildfire mitigation in 2025 compared to the prior year, a 35 percent decline that hit Montana particularly hard as the region braced for another dangerous fire season.
Montana saw Forest Service treated acreage fall by 63 percent — among the steepest drops of any state — according to an analysis of agency data by the Center for Western Priorities. The mitigation work in question includes tree thinning, brush clearing, and prescribed burning, all aimed at reducing the fuel loads that allow wildfires to spread rapidly through forested land.
Budget and Staffing Cuts Drove the Decline
The Forest Service has operated under significant budget and staffing constraints during the Trump administration, and those pressures appear to have translated directly into reduced field operations. The administration has also proposed additional reductions to the agency’s workforce, funding levels, and local support structures, along with plans to close regional Forest Service offices across the country.
The timing is notable. Western states, including Montana, endured a widespread snow drought in 2025, and seasonal forecasts pointed toward a hot and dry summer — conditions that historically produce severe wildfire activity. Montana’s fire season outlook has already grown more concerning as snowpack disappeared ahead of schedule and drought conditions expanded across the state.
What Reduced Treatment Means on the Ground
Fuel treatment work is widely regarded by land managers and fire scientists as one of the most effective tools for reducing the intensity and spread of wildfires before they start. When that work goes undone, forests accumulate heavier fuel loads — meaning fires that do ignite are more likely to grow large and resist suppression efforts.
A 63 percent reduction in Montana alone represents a substantial gap in the state’s preparedness infrastructure, particularly given the scale of federal land within state borders. The Forest Service manages millions of acres in Montana, and the agency’s fuel management activities have historically supplemented state and local fire prevention programs.
Despite recent rainfall that offered some short-term relief, land managers have noted that moisture gains can be short-lived when drought conditions are entrenched. Montana officials voiced cautious optimism following significant rainfall earlier this season, but warned that fire risk remained elevated heading into summer.
Federal Land Management Under Scrutiny
The treatment decline adds to a broader set of concerns about the condition of federal land management in the West. Forest Service facilities, including visitor infrastructure at major public lands, already face substantial maintenance backlogs, and further workforce reductions could compound the agency’s capacity challenges heading into a demanding fire season.
Whether Congress or the administration will move to restore funding levels before conditions deteriorate further remains an open question as summer progresses.
