Heavy plumes of smoke billow from the Dixie fire over the North Fork of the Feather River in the Plumas National Forest in July 2021. File Photo by Peter DaSilva/UPI | License Photo
Over 368,000 miles of roads wind through U.S. national forests, eight times more than the entire interstate highway system. Many are heavily eroded and prone to landslides, and driving vehicles on them can spread invasive species. They need billions of dollars in repairs.
Yet the Trump administration wants to build more roads in America's national forests to expand timber production, specifically in untouched areas currently protected by the 2001 federal Roadless Rule.
In announcing the administration's formal proposal to rescind the Roadless Area Conservation Rule on Aug. 18, 2026, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins argued that building roads in these areas is important for fighting wildfires.
However, data show that roads actually tend to increase the risk of fires igniting. They bring more human activity, including sparks from vehicles that can start fires.
