The West is on Fire and Washington Fans the Flames

This summer, millions of Americans are hiking, camping, fishing, and making lifelong memories in our national parks, forests, and other public lands. But something troubling is taking place behind the beautiful views: The federal agencies that safeguard these places for us are being hollowed out.

Staffing and budget cuts at the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Forest Service aren’t just numbers on a spreadsheet. They are empty ranger stations during peak season, trail crews that never arrive, and wildfire teams stretched so thin they ca...