Central Wyoming News

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senators John Barrasso and Joe Manchin, leading members of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, have called for a comprehensive review of federal land and wildfire management practices. In a letter to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), the Senators highlighted the urgent need for enhanced measures to address the escalating wildfire crisis in the United States.

"The increasingly devastating outcomes from wildfires in the United States requires a change in how the federal government prepares for, responds to, and recovers from wildfires," emphasized Senators Barrasso and Manchin. They further stressed the concerning statistics, stating, "America’s wildfire crisis continues to worsen. As your office recently reported, wildfires destroyed more than 12,000 homes, businesses, and other structures each year, on average, between 2017 and 2021."

The Senators outlined key areas for GAO assessment, including forest management, land management plans, and firefighting equipment. They expressed concerns about the scale and pace of forest management projects and the outdated nature of many Land Management Plans within the U.S. Forest Service.

Specifically, the Senators requested GAO to evaluate the Forest Service's utilization of existing authorities and programs supporting forest management projects, as well as the agency's approach to updating Land Management Plans. They also highlighted the importance of ensuring firefighters have access to essential technology like Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and communications devices, urging GAO to investigate the acquisition and implementation of such equipment by the Forest Service.

In conclusion, the Senators thanked GAO for its attention to these critical issues, emphasizing the necessity for immediate action to address the growing wildfire threat in the United States.