Forest Service chief defends FY26 budget request, outlines planned transfer of wildfire suppression to Interior; senators press on staffing, fuels and roadless‑

Tom Schultz, Chief of the U.S. Forest Service, told the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee that the administration—s fiscal year 2026 budget request refocuses the agency on active forest management and proposes consolidating federal wildfire suppression into a new U.S. Wildland Fire Service within the Department of the Interior.

Schultz said the budget —refocuses forest service efforts on active forest management, critical minerals permitting, recreation, energy development— and that the request —emphasizes efficient and effective fire management by consolidating the federal suppression response apparatus into the new US Wildland Fire Service under the Department of Interior.—

Why it matters: Lawmakers and witnesses said those changes could affect how fires are fought, how hazardous fuels are treated and which entities deliver grants and technical assistance to states and localities ahead of an intense fire season.

In his opening testimony, Schultz described the scale of the agency—s responsibility and economic contribution: —The Forest Service manages 154 national forests and 20 grasslands, covering 193,000,000 acres in 43 states and Puerto Rico— and, he said, —recent analysis shows that in fiscal year 23, the forest service programs contributed approximately 390,000 jobs and $45,000,000,000 in gross domestic product.—

Senators used the oversight hearing to press Schultz on several topics that repeatedly came up during questioning:

- Consolidation of firefighting functions: Schultz said the administration has asked for an internal plan under an executive order and that —in 90 days we—ll have a plan of what this would look like.— He also told…