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As bad as things got in Los Angeles in January 2025, when 31 people died and more than 16,000 buildings were destroyed by wildfires roaring into residential neighborhoods, many wildland firefighters look back on the rest of last year as a dodged bullet.
Across the nation, according to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), which coordinates the federal wildfire response, the total area burned in 2025 was about two-thirds of the average over the past 10 years.
This year is shaping up to be a very different prospect, wildfire experts warn. Key environmental indicators show that the nation is a tinderbox, gripped by widespread drought and with a light snowpack in the mountains that will offer little relief as its remnants melt away.
At the same time, upheaval in the federal wildland firefighting effort and the loss of many staff qualified to join wildfire incident teams since Donald Trump took power for the second time have left firefighters deeply concerned about their ability to mount an effective response.
As of the end of May, the NIFC reported that some 2.4 million acres had burned in wildfires for which it had generated incident reports. That’s almost double the 10-year average for the time of year.
More of our coverage of the biggest story on the planet:
- Trump’s Energy Department announced about $700 million in support for the declining coal industry with funds from the Defense Production Act. Environmentalists denounced the move, calling coal dirty and expensive.
- The Bureau of Reclamation announced it will impose a new 10-year management plan for the Colorado River Basin if the states relying on the water don’t come to an agreement.
- In the midst of the Iran war, the largely blocked Strait of Hormuz has become “a critical failure point for global food security.”
Why Wildfire Experts Are So Worried About This Year’s Fire Season
BY PETER ALDHOUS
With a puny snowpack in the Western mountains and a widespread drought, the nation is a tinderbox. A reorganization of federal firefighting efforts and the departure of many staff qualified to join the fight are heightening concern.A Georgia Wildlife Haven Forged by Fire and Peat Nears UNESCO Recognition
BY RYAN KRUGMAN
The Okefenokee, a vast blackwater swamp, is under consideration for UNESCO World Heritage status, as scientists and advocates point to its rare peatlands, biodiversity and long history of ecological resilience.Greenpeace Plans to Sue JBS for Its Climate Impacts, Seeks Details About Major Plans in Nigeria
BY GEORGINA GUSTIN
The advocacy group says the lawsuit could open a new legal frontier for pursuing industrial agriculture companies.Coral Reefs in French Polynesia Are Stuck Between Life and Death
BY RYAN GREEN
Scientists’ discovery of hollowed coral skeletons after a 2019 bleaching event reveals a reef that isn’t coming back.Appeals Court Affirms Dismissal of Youth Climate Case Against Trump
BY DANA DRUGMAND
The lead attorney for the 22 plaintiffs said the court has “slammed the courthouse doors on children fighting for their lives.”Alligator Alcatraz Emissions Threaten Human Health, Violate Clean Air Act, Lawsuit Claims
BY AMY GREEN
The air pollution is associated with the more than 200 diesel-burning generators powering the Everglades migrant detention facility, along with 100 diesel-burning lighting towers.Mangrove Forests Fight Climate Change—But Climate Change Is Fighting Back
BY KILEY PRICE
Mangroves store vast amounts of climate-warming carbon. Sea level rise may push them past the brink, according to a new study.Montana Officials Warn of Elevated Wildfire Risk From Increasing Drought, Heat and Wind
BY MOSABBER HOSSAIN
Volunteer departments, often the first to respond to blazes, face recruiting challenges, and federal firefighting agencies are in flux.DOE Restarts Home Efficiency Rebates, and Electrification Is the Biggest Loser
BY DAN GEARINO
New rules for the $8.8 billion in program funding no longer promote electric home heating.New BLM Grazing Rules Eliminate Tribal Buffalo From Public Lands
BY BLAINE HARDEN
Tribes with bison herds are seeking negotiations with U.S. Department of Interior officials to ask for an exemption from new rules they have called “DEI for cattle.”A ‘Reforestation Pipeline’ in New Mexico Trains Seedlings to Survive in Burn Scars
BY TINA DEINES
Increasing heat and drought are killing young pines planted on ground scorched by wildfires. Can seeds from the toughest trees grown in boot camp nurseries better endure?New York State Gets One Step Closer to a Data Center Moratorium
BY LAUREN DALBAN
The state Legislature just passed a bill that would place a 12-month freeze on permits for data centers. If the governor signs it, it would be the first statewide moratorium in the nation.
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An Iowa Town Spent $800,000 on a New Well. It Pumps Undrinkable Water.
BY ANIKA JANE BEAMER
After shuttering two wells for recurring nitrate contamination, the riverside community of Princeton may face yet another costly fix.
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