USDA Forest Service seeks comment on plan to expedite post-fire recovery work

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service today announced plans to prepare a national environmental assessment to expedite post-fire recovery work on national forests and grasslands. The Notice of Intent is now open for public comment in the Federal Register.

Because severe wildfires are larger, more complex, and burning longer, recovery efforts have become more challenging and expensive. Burned landscapes are susceptible to hazards like erosion and flooding, which threaten lives, damage property, contaminate drinking water and destroy communities. This new approach aims to streamline work to reduce these post-fire hazards by planting trees, repairing infrastructure, safeguarding water quality and performing other critical stabilization work.

“Restoring forests after a wildfire is not something we can delay, especially when public safety is at stake,” said Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz. “Post-fire recovery actions need to be immediate and comprehensive to protect the future of our forests and the people who depend on them.” 

This action aligns with President Trump’s Executive Orders on Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation, Immediate Expansion of American Timber Production, and Empowering Commonsense Wildfire Prevention and Response. This action also aligns with USDA’s interim rule, which improves how its agencies implement the National Environmental Policy Act.

“This effort is about resilience,” added Chief Schultz. “We’re not just recovering from a fire. We’re building landscapes that can withstand the next one.” 

Public comments are open until January 26, 2026. More information and progress updates are available online at https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/disaster-recovery/post-fire-recovery.