Investigation shows: 43 forest fires in the USA were caused by controlled fires

An independent investigation found that over a 10-year period, 43 fires controlled by the U.S. Forest Service developed into wildfires.

The investigation, conducted by the Government Accountability Office and released Monday, was commissioned by U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fernández of New Mexico’s 3rd Congressional District after a controlled fire in 2022 developed into the largest and most devastating wildfire in New Mexico’s history: the Hermit’s Peak-Calf Canyon Fire.

According to the U.S. Forest Service, controlled fires reduce the use of hazardous fuels, protect communities from extreme fires, minimize the spread of pests and diseases, encourage the growth of trees and other plants, and return nutrients to the soil.

The Forest Service also plans to increase the number of controlled fires over the next decade using federal funds for infrastructure and anti-inflation measures.

Sometimes, however, controlled fires fail to stay under control. Of 50,000 prescribed fire projects between 2012 and 2021, 43 became wildfires, including in Utah, Idaho, North Carolina and the California-Nevada border.

One such fire is currently raging in Utah: the Little Twist Fire in Beaver County, which has burned 2,000 acres of national forest since June 13 and is now 40 percent contained.

While the investigation found that the Forest Service has taken steps to implement recommended changes following the Hermit’s Peak-Calf Canyon Fire, it also said that “significant gaps remain.”

A 2023 Associated Press review also found that the federal administration was behind on implementing some projects and that some high-risk communities were being bypassed in favor of less vulnerable communities.

The Government Accountability Office recommended that the Forest Service develop a plan to implement the reforms, set goals, develop a method to measure progress, and ensure that sufficient resources are allocated to the day-to-day management of the reform efforts.

In response to the report, the U.S. Forest Service said it generally agreed with the findings and was making progress, noting that last year was a record year for hazardous fuels treatment on forest lands and that the agency is on track to build teams specializing in targeted fires.

The Forest Service has recognized in its regulatory documents that the necessary reforms will require comprehensive changes in practice and culture.