Trump Cuts Wildfire Resources As Fires Burn Across the Nation

By Sam Stebbins  •  May 5, 2026
white smoke coming from a gray clouds
Photo by Malachi Brooks on Unsplash

Wildfire season in the United States lasts from the spring through the fall, with peak activity typically reported in the summer months. Though still in the early days of this year’s wildfire season, 2026 is already on track to be among the worst in recent memory. Since January 1, there have already been 24,222 wildfires in the United States, about 8,000 more than the annual year-to-date average, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. These same fires have destroyed over 1.8 million acres, nearly double the average for the first four months of the year – and experts anticipate the intensity will only accelerate in the coming weeks. 

Dry conditions, fueled by heat and limited precipitation, substantially raise wildfire risk. During a drought, massive wildfires can be set off by a discarded cigarette butt or an unattended campfire, as well as natural phenomena like a lightning strike. Currently, about 25% of land area nationwide is in a severe drought, and another 16.7% is in an extreme drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Drought conditions have been fueled in part by a mild winter in the Western United States, that left snowpack levels in the Rocky Mountains – a critical water source after the spring thaw – at their lowest level in decades. 

As the country braces for a potentially devastating wildfire season, the Trump administration is slashing funding for the U.S. Forest Service, a federal agency tasked with protecting communities and natural resources from the threat of wildfire. In the coming months, the White House plans to shutter 57 USFS research stations across 31 states and reduce agency staffing by over 50%. As the USFS prepares for reorganization, there are currently more than a dozen wildfires raging across nearly 41,000 acres in the United States.

Using data from the NIFC, Climate Crisis 247 identified the largest active wildfires in the United States. Wildfires are ranked on their total size. Only the 10 largest wildfires, active as of May 1, 2026, are listed. All supplemental data is also from the NIFC. 

10. Fb 17 Fire in South Dakota

  • Fire size as of May 1, 2026: 1,188 acres
  • Fire status: Active, 60% contained
  • Wildfire under management of: Bureau of Indian Affairs; Rosebud Agency
  • Fire location: Five miles north of Spring Creek, SD

9. Crow Creek Fire in New Mexico

  • Fire size as of May 1, 2026: 1,200 acres
  • Fire status: Active, 0% contained
  • Wildfire under management of: New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department; Cimarron District
  • Fire location: 18 miles southwest of Raton, NM

8. Poitrey Canyon Fire in Colorado

  • Fire size as of May 1, 2026: 2,113 acres
  • Fire status: Active, 50% contained
  • Wildfire under management of: Las Animas County
  • Fire location: Six miles west of Villegreen, CO

7. Cow Creek Fire in Florida

  • Fire size as of May 1, 2026: 2,364 acres
  • Fire status: Active, 60% contained
  • Wildfire under management of: Florida Forest Service
  • Fire location: 11 miles south of Bronson, FL
silhouette of trees on smoke covered forest
Photo by Joanne Francis on Unsplash

6. Sargent Fire in Florida

  • Fire size as of May 1, 2026: 2,523 acres
  • Fire status: Active, 81% contained
  • Wildfire under management of: U.S. Forest Service; National Forests in Florida
  • Fire location: One mile south of Sargent, FL

5. Bauman Fire in South Dakota

  • Fire size as of May 1, 2026: 3,178 acres
  • Fire status: Active, 80% contained
  • Wildfire under management of: Bureau of Indian Affairs; Pine Ridge Agency
  • Fire location: Twelve miles east of Wanblee, SD

4. Railroad Fire in Florida

  • Fire size as of May 1, 2026: 4,796 acres
  • Fire status: Active, 80% contained
  • Wildfire under management of: Florida Forest Service
  • Fire location: Ten miles north of Palatka, FL

3. Sparks Fire in New Mexico

  • Fire size as of May 1, 2026: 6,000 acres
  • Fire status: Active, 85% contained
  • Wildfire under management of: New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department; Las Vegas District
  • Fire location: Twenty miles southwest of Tucumcari, NM

2. 139 Fire in Florida

  • Fire size as of May 1, 2026: 6,499 acres
  • Fire status: Active, 82% contained
  • Wildfire under management of: U.S. Forest Service; National Forests in Florida
  • Fire location: One mile north of Wilma, FL

1. HWY 41 Fire in Florida

  • Fire size as of May 1, 2026: 9,149 acres
  • Fire status: Active, 77% contained
  • Wildfire under management of: Everglades National Park (National Park Service)
  • Fire location: Six miles west of Miami, FL


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