SPOKANE, WASHINGTON — Wildfires have burned a record 8.5 million acres in the U.S. so far in 2026, straining federal resources as the U.S. Forest Service acknowledged that its onboard capacity was insufficient to meet the needs of the continuing crisis. Experienced firefighters and fire officials stated that cuts to the agency under the Department of Government Efficiency exacerbated staffing strain during these responses.

The U.S. Forest Service acknowledged on its website that the 11,745 wildland firefighters it had onboard nationwide as of Aug. 17 was not enough capacity to meet the needs of the continuing wildfire crisis. The agency stated it could not support additional hires with existing infrastructure, funding, and other resources. Roughly 6,000 people left the U.S. Forest Service last year through terminations and buyouts, and the departures shrunk the U.S. Forest Service workforce by about 16%.

Recent U.S. Forest Service cuts did not target frontline firefighters directly but affected administrative employees who serve as support staff during wildfire operations. Administrative employees handled logistical tasks such as securing authorizations for equipment, land use, and water supplies during wildfires. The U.S. Forest Service is missing many mid-level managers, including fire engine drivers, engineers, operators, and captains. Forest Service employees stated that mid-level manager roles are vacant or filled temporarily by less experienced staff and last-minute contractors.

Cody Turcotte arrived to fight a wildfire in Spokane, Washington, last month with insufficient personnel at the scene to control it. Turcotte's team of five engines joined two other engines that had been battling the blaze alone for hours as flames spread rapidly. Sixteen hours into his shift, Turcotte said his team had not received an update about engines they had requested for support. The team was later reassigned to another nearby fire where no other crews were present to fight it.

A member of Turcotte's crew fought the Old Trails Fire in Spokane, Washington, on Aug. 1. The Old Trails Fire was the first of three wildfires that formed the Spokane Complex Fire.

The Autumn Lane Fire was the second of three wildfires that merged into the Spokane Complex Fire in Spokane, Washington, in August 2026. Officials called the Spokane Complex Fire the worst natural disaster in the region's history. The Spokane Complex Fire destroyed close to 900 structures. The Spokane Complex Fire burned over 10,000 acres.

"The fires that we're seeing now are quickly becoming large, campaign fires, and they're happening much more frequently," Turcotte said. "A person in a non-fire position that holds some kind of fire qualification to be able to support us logistically, that's where we've been having a hard time since DOGE," Justin Brown said.

The U.S. Forest Service stated it employed more operational firefighters during the peak than it had in five years. The agency also stated it has expanded the number of non-fire employees qualified to support wildfire response. About 15,000 firefighting personnel were involved in active wildfire responses nationwide at the season's peak in August and early September.

The 15,000 personnel included federal, state, and some international crews. Most of the country's firefighters and equipment have been tied up for months fighting major wildfires or positioned near imminent fire threats. The Rowe Creek Complex Fire spread across nearly 400,000 acres in Oregon. The U.S. Forest Service lost personnel in recent years to other organizations offering better pay and hours.

Why It Matters

The 8.5 million acres burned in 2026 is more than any previous year by this time since at least 1983. The National Interagency Fire Center started tracking wildfire acreage in 1983. FEMA has issued 236 federal disaster declarations for fire incidents in Washington since the programme began. The United States Forest Service is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Timeline

The most recent was WILDFIRES, declared for an incident beginning 2026-08-01 (disaster 3650).

The Hawk Fire began near Reno, Nevada, on Aug. 22. Requests for aircraft for the Hawk Fire were repeatedly denied by federal dispatch centers throughout Aug. 22. Requests for Super Scoopers and other large air tankers were rejected seven times on Aug. 22.

What's New

The Hawk Fire reached 100% containment on September 9. The Hawk Fire destroyed forty-seven residential structures and one commercial structure and damaged fourteen residential structures.