U.S. Forest Service Prescribed Burning Fell Sharply in 2025
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The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) performed hazardous vegetation work on 2.6 million acres in 2025, a significant drop from over 4 million acres in 2024. The agency reported burning about 900,000 acres in 2025, roughly half the acreage burned in the previous two years. The agency attributed the decline to staff being occupied with firefighting and environmental conditions.
Facts First
- Hazardous vegetation work fell to 2.6 million acres in 2025 from over 4 million acres in 2024.
- Prescribed burning reached about 900,000 acres in 2025, roughly half the acreage burned in 2023 and 2024.
- The Forest Service lost 16% of its workforce in the first half of 2025, with 5,860 personnel leaving.
- The agency hired approximately 9,700 firefighters as of early March.
- The Forest Service is proposing to move its firefighters to a new consolidated U.S. Wildland Fire Service.
What Happened
In 2025, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) performed hazardous vegetation work on 2.6 million acres, according to an analysis by Grassroots Wildland Firefighters and Redstone GIS Consulting. This represents a reduction of almost 1.5 million acres from the work performed in 2024. Prescribed burning fell to about 900,000 acres in 2025, according to an NPR analysis, which is approximately half the acreage burned in both 2023 and 2024. The agency stated the drop was largely due to staff being occupied with firefighting and environmental conditions in the Southeast, including excessive fuel loads from Hurricane Helene.
Why this Matters to You
A reduction in prescribed burning may increase the risk of intense wildfires in forests near your community. The agency's workforce challenges could affect its capacity to manage these risks. However, the Forest Service has hired a significant number of new firefighters and is proposing a reorganization that could improve coordination.
What's Next
The Forest Service is proposing to move its firefighters to the new U.S. Wildland Fire Service, which consolidates Department of Interior firefighting staff. This reorganization could affect how wildfire prevention and response are managed in the coming years. The agency's ability to meet its 2022 goal of reducing flammable fuels on an additional 20 million acres over the next decade may depend on stabilizing its workforce and operational conditions.