1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

Fund forest fuel treatments now. A UC Davis study published in Science on May 7, 2026 — the first large-scale economic analysis using real wildfire data — found that every $1 spent on fuel treatments saves $3.75 in damages. Across nearly 300 wildfires in 11 western states, treatments prevented $2.8 billion in losses, saved over 4,000 buildings, prevented 59 premature deaths, and reduced burned area by 36%. This isn't a simulation. It's what actually happened. The research confirms that prescribed burning at landscape scale works, and that wildfire policy has been stuck on suppression instead of prevention for far too long. Skilled land managers can do this work year-round, supporting rural economies and the long-term health of our public lands. The funding gap is a policy choice — one that costs lives and billions every fire season. This country has the money. Choosing to spend it on forest management instead of endless suppression costs and avoidable destruction is exactly the kind of investment that pays for itself. Prioritize funding for USDA Forest Service fuel reduction programs in the next budget cycle.