The New York Times ("California’s Wildfires Could Be Brutal This Summer", June 16, 2025) and the Los Angeles Times ("California’s 2025 wildfire season was already going to be dangerous. Trump has made it worse", June 18, 2025) report that a high risk fire season lies ahead of California this summer. Summer temperatures are expected to be hotter than usual (UCLA climate scientist Don Swain predicts in the warmest 20% of summers, NYT) and the National Interagency Fire Agency predicts "above-normal fire activity" for California and the Northwest through September (LAT). Both reports suggest that budget and personnel cuts in the U.S. Forest Service, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are likely to hamper firefighting capabilities.
June 16, 2025
The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times