Recent federal job cuts are raising alarms among wildfire experts, who fear the loss of staff could put public lands and the surrounding communities at greater risk. This comes after the Trump Administration slashed 1,000 positions from the National Park Service and 2,000 from the U.S. Forest Service. The concern is especially pressing in the West with states like Colorado that rely on federal agencies to manage vast stretches of forest.
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With 11 national forests, one-fifth of Colorado is covered by the USFS. These wilderness areas are not only recreational hubs but critical natural resources. Less boots on the ground could mean weaker fire mitigation efforts, which in turn threaten ecosystems and public safety.
鈥淪taff is really part of what's needed to get collaboration and these collaborative projects to happen. Without as many staff, we may not have the ability to do that kind of cross-boundary implementation. That's what's needed to be at the scale of the wildfire problem that we have,鈥� said Corrina Marshall, the fireshed coordinator at the Northern Colorado Fireshed Collaborative.
At this time, it鈥檚 still a little unclear where the potential shortfalls could be and how it could impact this year鈥檚 fire season. But the NCFC says they鈥檙e working to paint a clearer picture of the impact that federal funding has for preventing wildfires, fighting active fires and the cleanup that comes afterward.
鈥淥ur work has historically been a pretty nonpartisan issue since it affects everybody, and we really hope that that will continue to be the case,鈥� said Marshall. 鈥淪o that's one thing we could use some help on, is advocating for all of the work that we do, and getting people aware of the level of federal investment that has been made in this historically.鈥�
Marshall and the team at the NCFC work with local partners like fire departments, nonprofits and federal agencies like the U.S. Forest Service to protect the area from wildfires and to keep the forest and water supply healthy. Their work spans from the Wyoming state line down to Clear Creek County and covers both wilderness areas and cities like Fort Collins and Westminster. Along with their partners, the collaborative uses a wide range of tools and strategies to be proactive in fire mitigation and resource management.
According to Marshall, the USFS plays a large role not only in fire mitigation through things like controlled burns, but also in keeping a health focus on the watershed, so water is available when needed. Forestry workers also connect with local groups, counties and private property owners to keep Colorado鈥檚 forests healthy and to keep people safe.
鈥淲e also partner on community engagement and outreach, and kind of that adaptive management loop, looking at the best available science to understand how treatments are having an impact, and making sure we're doing the most up-to-date research-backed work across the ground,鈥� said Marshall.
Even before the recent cuts at the federal level, the USFS ran into budget issues. In October of 2024, they announced a hiring freeze which set off red flags with Colorado lawmakers.
"We are deeply concerned by the Forest Service's announcement about the agency's budget shortfall and subsequent hiring freeze of all non-firefighting, temporary seasonal employees," a letter from the state鈥檚 U.S. Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, as well as Colorado Representatives Joe Neguse and Brittany Pettersen, said. "Colorado's forests are some of the most visited in the nation and serve as critical infrastructure for Colorado."
The freeze didn't include seasonal firefighters. And it's important to note that neither did the recent layoffs. A said he is committed to 鈥減reserving essential safety positions and will ensure that critical services remain uninterrupted.鈥�
However, many are still worried about what's to come in 2025. And it鈥檚 not just firefighter jobs that could be a problem. There are a lot of specialists and secondary roles that work alongside to help with fire mitigation and firefighting, including public outreach, public information and GIS support.
鈥淭here are all these other support resources that are coming out of federal staff and a lot of those positions, we're worried about what that's going to look like when we do have a fire in this landscape,鈥� said Marshall.
Besides advocating for organizations like the USFS, Marshall suggests people work within their neighborhoods and HOAs to be prepared for wildfires and create communities that can help mitigate wildfires. Other small steps include being prepared to evacuate if needed and volunteering locally to help organizations focused on wildfires.
The NCFC has a complete list of resources regarding wildfires on .
