The Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior have signed a joint memo on wildfire preparedness to increase readiness this wildfire season.
This season is expected to be above normal. Secretary Brooke Rollins says that the two departments will provide the resources needed to ensure the Forest Service has the strongest and most prepared firefighting force in the world.
The announcement comes as the Trump administration hopes to merge the government’s wildland fighting efforts into a single agency.
Right now, firefighting efforts are split among five different agencies and two departments. Trump’s plan would combine all of those into a single “Federal Wildland Fire Service,” which would fall under the Interior Department.
The merger would result in the shifting of thousands of personnel from the U.S. Forest Service and to the new agency in the middle of fire season.
The Ranger Road Fire is fully contained after burning nearly 300,000 acres. Ranchers face significant cattle and fence losses, with recovery efforts underway.
February 26, 2026 01:04 PM
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Michael Kelsey of the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association joined us with the latest on the Oklahoma wildfires, recovery efforts for ranchers, and the role agriculture leaders are playing in supporting rural communities.
February 25, 2026 12:13 PM
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According to the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, fire crews remain on alert statewide as Red Flag conditions persist. Officials warn that even contained fires can reignite quickly under current weather conditions.
February 24, 2026 05:46 PM
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The Ranger Road Fire in the Oklahoma Panhandle is now 65% contained after burning nearly 300,000 acres over the past week. Kevin Charleston of Specialty Risk Insurance Agency discusses wildfire recovery, livestock insurance considerations, and the importance of preparedness for producers across the Southern Plains.
February 24, 2026 12:28 PM
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Ranger Road Fire has burned 283,000 acres across Kansas and the Oklahoma Panhandle and is nearing containment, as ranchers begin assessing cattle and infrastructure losses as they look toward recovery.
February 23, 2026 11:08 AM
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The long-term viability of a ranching operation often hinges on how effectively its owners navigate the overlapping layers of IRS regulations, state tax incentives, and USDA disaster programs.
February 20, 2026 04:43 PM
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