As wildfires grow bigger and hotter across the West, the U.S. Forest Service faces a daunting task.
The agency has developed a 10-year strategy that calls for removing hazardous fuels across 20 million acres of national forests — and 30 million acres of federal, state, tribal and private land — to protect resources and communities.
It's a big job that will cost far more than the combined $3.31 billion recently provided in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act.
To start, the Forest Service set aside $131 million this year to treat 10 areas in eight Western states at high risk from wildfires, adding up to 208,000 acres. Officials debuted a virtual map Nov. 15 to track their progress, and show where the money is being spent.
"With this (map), audiences across the country can see in real-time where investments are being made to create safer communities and healthier, more resilient forests," said Forest Service Chief Randy Moore.