On August 4, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) released a report documenting how the rising cost of wildfires is affecting the agency's work on non-fire related programs. According to the report, the agency is spending more than half of its entire budget to fight wildland fires and is predicted to send two-thirds of its budget on fires within a decade. According to the report the agency is at a tipping point:

"The depletion of non-fire programs to pay for the ever-increasing costs of fire has real implications, not only for the Forest Service' restoration work that would help prevent catastrophic fires, but also for the protection of watersheds and cultural resources, upkeep of programs and infrastructure that support thousands of recreation jobs and billions of dollars of economic growth in rural communities, and support for the range of multiple uses, benefits and ecosystem services, as well as research, technical assistance, and other programs that deliver value to the American public."

Shortly after release of the report, a bipartisan group of 11 Western senators, including committee leadership of the budget, appropriations and natural resource committees pledged to work together to find a solution to the fire borrowing challenge. The group submitted statements into the Congressional Record committing their engagement in the process.

"I know there are differences of opinion out there as to how to solve this problem, but the key to solving it is getting everyone in a room to discuss it," said Senator Mike Enzi, chairman of the Senate Budget Committee in his statement. "As cap adjustments are under the jurisdiction of the Budget Committee, I look forward to working with my colleagues on a durable and long-lasting solution that fits our fiscal priorities and is responsible budgeting."