California accelerates wildfire prevention as fires spread across federally managed lands

California has increased its wildfire prevention and response efforts as major fires burn across federal lands in the state. With several of 2025’s largest wildfires, including the Garnet Fire threatening ancient sequoias, occurring on land managed by the federal government, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that more than 100 wildfire prevention projects have been expedited under a state of emergency proclamation.

The Trump administration has reduced U.S. Forest Service budgets by 10% and cut firefighting support staff by 25%. In response, California has deployed significant resources to protect communities at risk from these fires. The state manages only about 3% of its forests, while federal agencies are responsible for roughly 57%.

Governor Newsom stated: “It’s a bitter irony that California taxpayers are funding both state and federal wildfire protection while the federal government that owns the burning land cuts funding and diverts resources to political theater. Trump can follow our lead now that we’ve approved more than 100 wildfire prevention projects spanning over 25,000 acres for fast-tracking since March.”

Earlier this year, Newsom warned about possible negative consequences from reductions to the U.S. Forest Service budget and sent a proposed executive order to the White House aimed at improving federal forest management practices.

Despite jurisdictional boundaries, California has supported all major federal wildfire incidents through unified command structures and direct resource deployment. This includes National Guard support and coordination systems intended to integrate state and federal firefighting capabilities.

Among this year’s major fires:

- The Garnet Fire in Sierra National Forest covers nearly 55,000 acres with only 14% containment. It threatens giant sequoia trees over two millennia old.

- The Gifford Fire in Los Padres National Forest is California’s largest fire this year at over 131,000 acres.

- The Madre Fire burned more than 80,000 acres on Los Padres National Forest and Bureau of Land Management lands.

- Other significant incidents include the Orleans Complex (over 22,000 acres) and Green Fire (over 19,000 acres), both largely on federally managed lands.

California provided unified command teams for each incident alongside extensive personnel and equipment support—such as engines, dozers, water tenders, helicopters—and coordinated evacuations with local authorities.

The California National Guard contributed nearly 1,000 service members trained for wildfire suppression missions despite reduced capacity due to other deployments. Financially, $72 million in additional state funds have gone toward risk reduction projects on federal lands.

Over recent years CAL FIRE has expanded its workforce significantly; it now adds an average of about 1,800 full-time positions annually plus hundreds of seasonal roles. Future plans call for hiring thousands more firefighters and natural resource professionals as part of ongoing investments in resilience.

Since March alone, more than one hundred vegetation management projects covering over 25,000 acres have been fast-tracked under streamlined emergency procedures. These actions are part of an overall investment exceeding $5 billion since 2019 aimed at increasing preparedness amid rising wildfire risks attributed to hotter and drier conditions statewide.

The contrast between these efforts and recent cuts proposed by the Trump administration is notable; proposals include closing regional offices such as the Pacific Regional Forest Service office—a move expected to worsen staffing shortages within the agency.

For further information about current wildfires affecting California or tips on preparedness visit https://fire.ca.gov/ or https://www.readyforwildfire.org/.