Blinking red lights over an overextended workforce during wildfire season, as usual, with Trump we are on our own.
Brace yourselves for a rough fire season. Filtration systems, evacuation plans, and fire prevention are wise to put in place for yourself during peak season.
The National Interagency Fire Center is comprised of the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service. They oversee one-fifth of the US land area. Recently, they issued a monthly report, "[link:https://www.nifc.gov/nicc/predictive-services/outlooksSignificant Wildland Fire Potential] for Summer 2025.".
Jim Whittington is a retired BLM/NPS/USFS employee, according to his Bluesky account. We must brace ourselves if you live in fire country, but other areas are not at reduced risk.
May vs August.
NIFC issued their monthly Significant Wildland Fire Potential Outlook today and it shows a little more red for August than the May 1 map. Our first look at September is just as grim for the western states. Also, keep in mind that the not-red portions mean average fire potential, not reduced. 1/
— Jim Whittington🔥 (@jimwhittington.bsky.social) 2025-06-01T20:40:51.220Z
If these outlooks are close (they are), everyone needs to understand that an intentionally diminished wildland fire service will be overextended & tapped out before Sept even as they do their best to try & make it work. Some traditional response tasks that we expect to be done will not get done. 3/
— Jim Whittington🔥 (@jimwhittington.bsky.social) 2025-06-01T20:40:51.222Z
Folks, the variables are aligning and condensing in such a way that seasoned, experienced firefighters are talking with each other in tones that belie their usual calmness. Take heed. Make plans for both fire and smoke and have contingencies built out too. Good luck all. 4/4
— Jim Whittington🔥 (@jimwhittington.bsky.social) 2025-06-01T20:40:51.223Z
Trump's fault for an understaffed agency that has ground to a halt.
Let's dive into this a bit. A short and very incomplete thread on US Forest Service research. 1/
— Jim Whittington🔥 (@jimwhittington.bsky.social) 2025-05-31T21:05:02.107Z
Canadian fires:
Canada is already in it with big fires and evacs in the thousands. The country looks poised to have large fires on the landscape from now until the snows come. That means Canadian resources will be overextended and not available to help others. Also, probably leads to smoke drifting into the US.
— Jim Whittington🔥 (@jimwhittington.bsky.social) 2025-05-29T13:25:03.495Z
= new reply since forum marked as read
