U.S. Wildland Fire Service - a new agency to launch in 2026 - replacing other several federal fire agencies
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In a landmark move to overhaul America’s wildfire response, the U.S. Departments of the Interior and Agriculture have announced the creation of the U.S. Wildland Fire Service, a consolidated federal agency set to launch in January 2026.
The new service will unify all federal wildland firefighting efforts under the Department of the Interior, aiming to modernize operations and eliminate long-standing inefficiencies.
The initiative follows President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14308, which called for sweeping reforms to wildfire prevention and response. The plan includes:
- 🚁 A joint federal firefighting aircraft service
- 🧑🚒 Standardization of the Emergency Firefighter Program
- 💼 A unified contracting, procurement, and payment center
- 🖥️ A government-wide Wildfire Enterprise IT System
- 🗺️ A national wildfire risk mapping tool
“For too long, outdated and fragmented systems have slowed our ability to fight fires and protect lives,” said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, emphasizing the need for a faster, more coordinated response.
Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins echoed the urgency, citing the rising costs and dangers of unmanaged wildfires. “We are taking bold action to modernize wildfire response systems… protecting our national forests and grasslands for generations to come,” she said.
The departments also pledged to improve firefighter safety, streamline interagency coordination, and expand use of technology like artificial intelligence and predictive mapping. Permanent pay reform for federal and tribal firefighters is now law, and further budget requests aim to sustain premium pay during peak fire seasons.
This transformation marks a pivotal shift in how the federal government prepares for and responds to wildfires—one that could reshape forest management, emergency response, and community resilience across the country.
You can read the full announcement on the Department of the Interior’s official site.