President Donald Trump has so far largely evaded political fallout from his administration’s controversial cuts to the Forest Service, thanks in part to weather conditions in fire-prone parts of the country that have helped keep blazes in check.
Democratic lawmakers and state officials across the country warned that the Trump administration was courting disaster by removing about 5,000 Forest Service workers through early retirement and buyout programs, including about 1,600 people with wildland firefighting qualifications, and losing key agency leaders.
But as of mid-August, the worst fears largely haven’t materialized. Favorable weather conditions in parts of the country, including decent spring and summer rainfall and cooler temperatures across regions of the West, have helped contain wildfires, making existing personnel and resources adequate for ongoing response efforts, according to three state fire officials and three current and former Forest Service workers.
“He’s gotten lucky in a way,” Steve Ellis, a former Forest Service supervisor who now serves as chair of the National Association of Forest Service Retirees, said of Trump. “You’re not really going to look bad until fire gets going and you don’t have enough resources. When resources get short, that’s when these things are noticed.
