Wildfires Just As Likely on State Land as On Federal Land, Study Finds

Following intense wildfires across the West this summer, an environmental group has released a study saying such fires are no more likely on federal public lands than state lands. The Center for Western Priorities disputes conservative arguments that states are doing better at resource management. The center says a wildfire-risk assessment model from two forestry groups finds that 23 percent of federal public lands in 11 Western states are at high risk for wildfire, compared to 22 percent of state-owned lands.