By Bob Roper
Wildland firefighters are facing a formidable battle, coping with labor shortages during one of the most intense fire seasons in recent years. As a California firefighter for over 45 years — including 15 years as Ventura County Fire Protection District chief and Nevada State Forester — I know firsthand that when it comes to stopping the spread of wildfires, there is no replacement for a well-trained and equipped firefighting force.
But it takes more than a quick and skilled response to prevent a wildfire catastrophe. We also need to prioritize wise management of federal lands.
As Californians in San Luis Obispo County are currently witnessing this summer, wildfires that start on state/federal lands can quickly spread to surrounding areas, threatening many lives, damaging health, destroying homes and businesses, and devastating communities. While wildfires on federal lands only make up approximately one-fifth of the total wildfires recorded across the country, they are typically responsible for nearly half the acres burned.
I applaud the lawmakers who are working to address the workforce gaps by ensuring adequate funding for hiring, training, and support. As they do so, I ask them to make it part of a holistic approach to wildfire prevention and response. This is paramount if we want to truly address the worsening wildfire crisis.
Why are wildfires burning so much of our federal land? One reason is that under current regulations, federal land management policies and environmental clearances make wildfire prevention arduous and sometimes impracticable. For example, formulating and conducting prescribed burns takes time, and needed labor resources are in short supply. Additionally, electric grid operators and electrical workers cannot easily gain access to powerlines and other infrastructure on federal lands. We need to reduce the unnecessary challenges to perform vegetation management and other wildfire risk management activities. Without success, this means that our federal lands — and our people — are left more vulnerable.
These fires cause enormous human suffering. Clouds of harmful smoke can travel thousands of miles to neighboring states and linger in the air for weeks. This contaminated air can be dangerous for Americans with pre-existing health issues and can even trigger cardiovascular and lung health issues. It also impacts the health of our first responders who are battling these wildfires. As policymakers look to improve our wildfire preparedness and response, protecting firefighters from the adverse health risks of wildfire smoke needs to be a part of effective policy solutions.
Along with the health impacts, we are all too familiar with the financial cost. Wildfires already cost the United States between $394 and $893 billion annually due to property and capital losses along with insurance and liability costs. A new report from Gallagher estimated that the two wildfires that impacted much of Los Angeles County in January will cost $65 billion in economic losses. During my years as a firefighter, I’ve seen businesses crumble from wildfires and struggle to get back on their feet and cope with the combined property and wage losses.
With more than 4,000 wildfires already recorded and 3.7 million acres burned this year alone, we need Congress and federal agencies to take action and help address this crisis. For starters, the President’s June Executive Order aims to create a more effective wildfire response through the U.S. Wildland Fire Service (USWFS). It is encouraging to see the Administration take actions to increase collaboration and efficiency, but sufficient resources for first responders will be crucial to the success of USWFS.
Additionally, the House and Senate should pass the bipartisan Fix Our Forests Act. This much-needed step from Congress will help improve federal land management and coordination across federal, state, and local authorities. But this legislation is just one piece of a much larger, national wildfire strategy. We also need to address labor shortages among wildland firefighters and ensure that state and local partners have the resources needed to train and recruit skilled individuals.
As a country, we cannot continue to approach wildfires with the same patchwork of solutions that have been in place for decades. Let’s take decisive and comprehensive actions to keep our families and our communities safe from the growing wildfire threat.
Bob Roper is the Senior Wildfire Policy Advisor for the Western Fire Chiefs Association. He has been in the fire service for over 45 years, starting as a volunteer firefighter and then rising to executive positions. He served in the Ventura County Fire District for 34 years, the last 15 as Fire Chief and as the Nevada State Forester.
