The Biden administration on Thursday will announce $930 million for reducing wildfire dangers in 10 western states by clearing trees and underbrush from national forest.
But in an interview with The Associated Press, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack acknowledged that the shortage of workers that has been plaguing other sectors of the economy is hindering the agency’s wildfire efforts.
“It’s not a matter of whether or not these forests will burn,” Vilsack said. “The crisis is upon us.” House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman said he was glad to see the Biden administration taking “long-overdue action” and streamlining forest management rules. But Westerman questioned why more money will be spent this year even as new projects include fewer acres compared with last year, according to administration documents.
“We work to treat not only the most acreage we can, but where it makes the most difference with the resources available,” she said. Vilsack said the projects announced so far will help reduce wildfire risk to around 200 communities in the western U.S. “We’re very targeted in saying, ‘Here’s where we need to go to reduce the risk,’” Forest Service Deputy Chief Chris French told the AP.
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