Rep. Vasquez Demands Answers From Forest Service on Trail Maintenance and Wildfire Preparedness

October 19, 2026 Press Release USFS trail maintenance operations have been significantly delayed by layoffs, hiring restrictions, and budget cuts, resulting in declining trail quality and heightened wildfire risk WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) , joined by 12 colleagues, sent a letter to U.S. Forest Service (USFS) leadership demanding answers on the agency’s efforts to maintain trails on public lands, which would ensure access to recreation and protect local communities from heightened fire risk. The letter follows up on an earlier letter raising concerns that USFS actions dramatically reduced the agency’s ability to adequately maintain public trails. That request followed a concerning report detailing a “trail maintenance crisis” with “impassable trails” and “unsafe bridges” due to staffing and budget cuts implemented by the Administration, leading to heightened wildfire risk. “In April, I demanded answers from the Forest Service after concerning reports of our trails falling into disarray,” said Vasquez . “This is an urgent issue – my constituents know that overgrown brush increases wildfire risk, and the more there is this season, the more dangerous it becomes next season. This is a completely unnecessary risk – we have the tools to protect our communities, and I am calling on the Forest Service to use them.” Read the full letter HERE . Vasquez has fought to promote outdoor recreation, protect New Mexico’s public lands and reduce wildfire risks for rural communities throughout his time in Congress, including: Supporting the bipartisan Fix Our Forests Act : Vasquez cosponsored and voted to pass legislation to improve forest management, reduce hazardous vegetation that fuels catastrophic wildfires, strengthen wildfire prevention and protect communities from devastating fires. Holding USDA Accountable for Forest Service Staffing Cuts: Vasquez pressed USDA Secretary Rollins on how cuts to USFS personnel threaten wildfire preparedness, trail maintenance and public safety, emphasizing the critical role Forest Service crews play in maintaining trails, supporting firefighters and protecting rural communities. Opposing the Administration’s USFS Restructuring: Vasquez pushed back against the Administration’s plans to close 57 Forest Service research stations and slash the agency’s workforce, warning that these cuts would undermine wildfire prevention, weaken forest management and threaten outdoor recreation opportunities across New Mexico. The letter asks USFS to respond by October 30 and to provide updated information on the following: Seasonal hiring: How many of the “up to 2,000” promised non-fire seasonal employees were hired and onboarded before the field season, where they were assigned, how many were primarily focused on trail work, and how many miles of trail they maintained. Staff vacancies: How many trail maintenance positions are currently vacant, how the agency addressed the “critical field level vacancies” it identified, and which forests and ranger districts are most affected, following a 2025 internal report indicating some forest units had lost their entire trails staff. Funding: Whether the agency can determine what it spends on staff and expenses for its trail program, and how that level has changed over the last two decades in inflation-adjusted dollars. Volunteers and partners: How many people participated in the adopt-a-trail program this season, how many miles they maintained, how administrative burdens were reduced for partners, and how the agency is ensuring volunteers are trained and operating safely. The backlog: How many miles of trail are in the maintenance backlog, and what federal funding would be needed to address it. The proposed cut: Why the Forest Service’s budget justification proposes cutting the Capital Improvement and Maintenance, Trails line from $22 million in the FY26 enacted level to $8 million in the White House’s FY27 budget, a reduction of roughly two-thirds. The ten-year goal: Whether the agency is on track to meet the objectives of its Ten-Year Trail Stewardship Challenge by 2030, and what barriers stand in the way. ###