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NewsKPBS Public MediaAugust 24, 2026San Diego

Federal wildfire policy debates revisit the '10 a.m. rule' for fire suppression

The U.S. Forest Service is facing renewed political pressure to adopt aggressive wildfire suppression strategies, including discussions of a return to the historical '10 a.m. rule' which mandates extinguishing all fires by the following morning. While federal officials emphasize a commitment to full suppression to protect communities and budgets, fire experts warn that such policies may exacerbate the 'wildfire paradox' by allowing dangerous fuel loads to accumulate.

wildfireforest managementfederal policypublic safetyenvironmental policy
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Why It Matters

The shift toward aggressive fire suppression directly impacts how federal agencies manage public lands, the safety of residents in fire-prone areas, and the allocation of billions of dollars in federal firefighting budgets.

Key Facts

  • The '10 a.m. rule' was originally mandated in 1933, requiring all wildland fires to be extinguished by 10 a.m. the day after reporting.
  • The Forest Service officially abandoned the 10 a.m. rule in 1978 after recognizing it led to dangerous fuel accumulation.
  • The 'Wildfire Paradox' describes how suppressing 95-98% of fires leads to more intense, uncontrollable fires later due to fuel buildup.
  • Federal wildfire suppression costs reached $2 billion in 2017, a six-fold increase from the 1990s.
  • The 1994 South Canyon fire resulted in the deaths of 14 wildland firefighters.
  • The 2018 Camp Fire in Paradise, California, resulted in over 80 deaths.
  • Draft versions of the 'Fix Our Forests Act' included language for full suppression of all wildfires.
  • Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz confirmed at a July 22 hearing that the agency is currently prioritizing aggressive initial attack on all wildfires.

Who's Mentioned

personBobbie Scopa“Vice president of Grassroots Wildland Firefighters and veteran firefighter.”organizationU.S. Forest Service“Federal agency responsible for managing national forests and wildfire response.”personMatt Weiner“CEO of Megafire Action.”personDonald Trump“President who issued an executive order regarding wildfire prevention.”personTom Schultz“Forest Service Chief.”personDavid Calkin“Scientist at the Rocky Mountain Research Station who coined the 'Wildfire Parado”