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(Washington, D.C., May 20, 2025) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins and U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum today signed a joint memo (PDF, 693 KB) on wildfire preparedness, ensuring our two Departments are working in close coordination this fire season. USDA will work across President Trump’s cabinet and with our trusted state, local, and Tribal partners to ensure our nation’s wildland firefighting system is highly coordinated and focused on fighting wildfires quickly and effectively. Just beforehand, Secretary Rollins and Secretary Burgum received a 2025 operational fire briefing at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service National Fire Desk.
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“President Trump has directed the entire federal government to take immediate action to protect the people, communities, and the natural resources our country depends on from wildfire risk. Now more than ever, Secretary Burgum and I are working in lockstep, alongside our federal partners, to effectively combat wildfires. At USDA we are ensuring the entire Department is geared to respond to what is already an above normal summer fire season. We are providing the resources needed to ensure the Forest Service has the strongest and most prepared wildland firefighting force in the world,” said Secretary Rollins.
“Our mission is clear: protect lives, defend critical infrastructure, and preserve the natural landscapes that sustain our way of life,” said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. “Through unity, preparation, and the dedication of our firefighting workforce, the United States is ready to meet this year’s wildfires with strength and resolve.”
Separately, Secretary Rollins signed a Secretarial Memorandum on improving USDA’s approach to responding to wildfires. This Secretarial Memorandum (PDF, 1.3 MB) provides clear expectations about USDA’s approach to responding to wildfires and directs the entire department to support our commitment to wildfire preparedness and response. It further directs the USDA Forest Service to take several organizational actions to ensure increased operational readiness, including authorizing staff across the department to work on temporary fire assignments.
May is National Wildfire Awareness Month, and a great time to come together and think about the role every American can play in reducing wildfire risk. Whether you are hiking in the backcountry or operating logging equipment, we all have a role to play to keep our communities and landscapes safe. By maintaining defensible space around your home and checking for local fire restrictions before lighting a campfire, every action counts. Together, we can reduce the risk of wildfire and ensure our first responders are not unnecessarily put in harm’s way.
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