As summer reaches its peak, the wildfire season is blazing across the West. On June 19, the Forsyth Fire raged through Dixie National Forest in Southern Utah, posing yet another threat to the state’s vulnerable landscapes.
At the same time, experts warn that the danger could escalate further if key federal protections are rolled back. One of those measures in particular — the Roadless Area Conservation rule — may soon be on the chopping block.
Roadless Rule
In 2001, the United States Forest Service established the Roadless Rule, a policy that prohibits road construction and harvesting resources in national forests. It conserves almost 59 million acres of land across the United States.
At the annual Western Governors Association meeting in New Mexico on June 23, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke L. Rollins announced the Trump Administration‘s hope to get rid of the policy.
If this rule is successfully repealed, millions of acres of land will be eligible for road building and logging. This land includes almost 60% of Utah’s forest service land.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, who was in attendance at the Western Governors Association meeting, supported Sec. Rollins’ announcement.
“UDSA is ending the burdensome Roadless Rule – a 25-year obstacle to responsible forest management,” Cox said in a statement on X. “That’s a huge win for wildfire prevention and the health of our lands.”
In the United States Department of Agriculture’s press release of the event, Gov. Cox explains that the Roadless Rule has blocked the government from accessing millions of acres of forest. Removing this rule, he said, will be a “critical step” toward healing Utah’s forests.
Public Opinion
While Utah’s governor described the removal of the Roadless Rule as a positive step, many disagree.
The Center for Western Priorities, a nonpartisan conservation organization, released a statement regarding the ramifications of the policy revocation.
“It’s ridiculous for Secretary Rollins to spin this as a move that will reduce wildfire risk or improve recreation,” the organization’s Policy Director Rachael Hamby said. “Commercial logging exacerbates climate change, increasing the intensity of wildfires.”
She described the repeal as an “attack” on public lands and Western communities.
“This is nothing more than a massive giveaway to timber companies at the expense of every American and the forests that belong to all of us,” Hamby said.
A study conducted by Sean Healey, a researcher at the Rocky Mountain Research Station, confirms that the roadless forest areas do not burn any differently than areas with roads. This contrasts Sec. Rollins claims that the rescinding of the Roadless Rule will help prevent wildfires and increase environmental integrity.
Implications
In an interview with the Salt Lake Tribune, University of Oregon professor James Johnston explained how more roads could potentially lead to more wildfires.
“It’s easier to corral fires when there’s a road system to facilitate direct attack with hand crews and bulldozers,” he said, referencing his 2021 study about wildfire frequency.
Furthermore, the repeal could also affect the national budget. The USDA reported that disbanding the policy could create a 25% decrease in economic development in the forestry sector.
Despite this, Cultural Landscapes Director for Grand Canyon Trust Tim Peterson raised concerns about road construction and maintenance costs.
“Road building is so expensive, and the forest service already has a maintenance backlog,” Peterson said to the Utah News Dispatch. “We can’t even maintain the roads that we have, let alone build new roads.”
t.sorensen@dailyutahchronicle.com
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