Washington, D.C. — Climate change, coupled with flawed historical forestry practices, has exacerbated the frequency and intensity of wildfires in the United States. Due to a shortage of dedicated firefighting resources, military units — including active-duty forces — are deployed to suppress wildland fires ever more often. Meanwhile, the U.S. armed forces’ extensive foreign commitments show no indication of abating, especially considering China’s burgeoning military strength and Russia’s continued aggression in Ukraine.
Today, the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) released a new report titled, “Redefining the Military’s Role in Wildfire Suppression,” which makes the case for increased investments in civilian firefighting resources and new modern forestry and fire reduction techniques in an effort to reduce reliance on the U.S. military. While military forces have served an indispensable role in U.S. fire suppression, creating new fire management plans and reinforcing nonmilitary firefighting assets will help bolster the nation’s ability to respond to intensifying wildfires while leaving the armed forces with leeway to address their primary commitments.
“The increasing demand for the military to engage in wildfire suppression threatens to undermine global force posture in a climate of growing instability and multipolarity,” said Alec Evans, Energy Policy Fellow at PPI. “It is critical for the U.S. to enhance its dedicated wildland firefighting resources in order to safeguard its military strength, especially as U.S. wildfires continue to intensify and the prospect of great power competition returns to prominence.”
The report evaluates the military’s role in wildfire suppression and examines the legal and command framework behind military wildland firefighting assignments, offering policy recommendations to prepare the U.S. military and civilian agencies for the growth of future fire seasons. As climate change increases the threat posed by wildfires and the armed forces become further engaged in great power competition, the United States must implement proactive reforms now to prevent greater future climate catastrophes.
Read and download the report here.
The Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) is a catalyst for policy innovation and political reform based in Washington, D.C. Its mission is to create radically pragmatic ideas for moving America beyond ideological and partisan deadlock. Learn more about PPI by visiting progressivepolicy.org. Find an expert at PPI and follow us on Twitter.
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Media Contact: Tommy Kaelin – tkaelin@ppionline.org
