A Congressional coalition 17 Senate and House Republicans have issued a letter to President Trump seeking enhanced actions to mitigate the nation’s wildfire crisis.
The letter notes that, to date, 19,512 fires have burned 881,249 acres across all 50 states, causing hundreds of billions in damages. U.S. wildfire season typically runs from May through November, hitting a high point during the summer when the weather dries out and temperatures can exceed triple digits.
Leading the charge on the letter is Montana Sen. Tim Sheehy, who founded an aerial firefighting company, and has sponsored bipartisan wildfire legislation. Sen. Sheehy is Founder of Bridger Aerospace, a provider of aerial wildfire surveillance, relief and suppression and aerial firefighting services to federal and state government agencies, including the United States Forest Service, using next-generation technology and environmentally friendly and sustainable firefighting methods.
“While some improvements to our federal wildfire response will require congressional action, we believe executive action offers the most immediate path to fostering interagency cohesion, streamlining outdated processes, and ensuring a robust response to wildfires,” said the letter. “We stand ready to fully support your leadership in protecting American communities from the devastating impacts of catastrophic wildfires.”
Just last week, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) sent President Trump’s FY 2026 Discretionary Budget Request to Congress. In the Budget, President Trump has prioritized the Federal Wildland Fire Service to improve response to wildfires.
Earlier this year, Los Angeles County was hit with wildfires that may have resulted in between $95 and $164 billion in total property and capital losses, with an estimated $75 billion in insured losses, according to a UCLA Anderson Forecast analysis. “While some improvements to our federal wildfire response will require congressional action, we believe executive action offers the most immediate path to fostering interagency cohesion, streamlining outdated processes, and ensuring a robust response to wildfires,” continued the letter. “We stand ready to fully support your leadership in protecting American communities from the devastating impacts of catastrophic wildfires.”
Joining Sen. Sheehy in signing the letter are Sens. John Barrasso, Ted Budd, Steve Daines, Cynthia Lummis, Markwayne Mullin, and Reps. Doug LaMalfa, Stephanie Bice, Lauren Boebert, Ken Calvert, Ben Cline, Eli Crane, Jeff Crank, Troy Downing, Jeff Hurd, Tim Moore, and Ryan Zinke.
Click here for the full letter from Sen. Sheehy and his Congressional coalition to President Trump.
