1. United States
2. Idaho
3. Letter

Demand that Secretary Rollins release the $200 million in Community Wildfire Defense Grant funding that 22 states and 2 Tribes were promised, and push back hard on Interior Secretary Burgum's April 8 memo ordering a "full suppression strategy" on every wildfire. These two policies together are a recipe for catastrophic fire seasons — and communities in my state will pay the price. The December 31 USDA memo blocking grants over DEI and climate language isn't just bureaucratic overreach — it's actively dangerous. Washington state alone is owed nearly $20 million, and land managers like Adam Lieberg at the Columbia Land Trust can't conduct planned burns because the money hasn't arrived. A 2025 study found that previously burned areas saw wildfires about 16% less severe during the 2020 California fire season. Suppression-only policies, as 40-year Forest Service veteran Bill Avey put it, "create more fuel for a worse situation down the road." The Forest Service already burned only half the acreage in 2025 that it did the year before, and has lost more than 5,000 staff. The window to burn safely closes when summer heat arrives. Hold Rollins and Burgum accountable for these decisions, and use every tool available to unblock this funding now.