The Trump administration proposed Tuesday to rescind a rule protecting more than 4 million acres of California’s national forests from logging and road construction, citing the need to reduce wildfire risks. The change would open remote backcountry areas to new development, even as U.S. Forest Service data shows roads are a leading source of human-caused wildfires in the state.
Federal officials argue the rollback would remove barriers to forest management, but California’s own research contradicts that claim. A Forest Service analysis of 26 years of fire data in four national forests found that nearly two-thirds of human-caused fires started along roadsides, where people, sparks, and dry vegetation converge. California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot warned the proposal could increase fire risks and firefighting costs for rural communities.
A recent study by The Wilderness Society found wildfire ignitions are four times more likely near roads nationwide, with the highest densities within 50 meters of roadways. The administration insists local managers—not the federal government—would decide whether to build roads or harvest timber, but critics point to a 2025 executive order pushing for expanded timber production. Environmental groups and lawmakers, including Rep. Jared Huffman, have condemned the plan as reckless and vowed to challenge it in Congress.
Public comments on the proposal are open until September 21.
