Trump administration moves to repeal Roadless Rule, risking 45 million forest acres

The Trump administration is moving to scrap a long-standing rule that restricts road construction and logging on millions of acres of national forests. Known as the Roadless Rule, it currently protects around 45 million acres—land that provides clean drinking water for up to 60 million people and habitat for nearly 60 percent of vulnerable wildlife. Supporters of the repeal claim it will improve wildfire management, while opponents argue it could lead to more logging and increased fire risks.

The Roadless Rule was introduced in 2001 to block new roadbuilding and timber harvests on 58.5 million acres of national forest. Over time, exemptions were granted to Idaho and Colorado, allowing limited road construction in certain areas—Idaho's exemption covers about 2.3 million acres, while Colorado's affects specific wilderness study zones. Even with these changes, the rule still shields roughly 45 million acres, though legal and administrative adjustments continue to shape its reach.

Wildfires have grown significantly worse in recent decades. Between 2017 and 2021, an average of 8 million acres burned each year—nearly double the annual average from 1987 to 1991. Fires on federal lands now average five times the size of those elsewhere in the country. Roads can help firefighters access remote areas, but they also bring more people into forests, raising the risk of human-caused blazes. A recent study in Fire Ecology found that between 1992 and 2024, wildfires were four times more likely to start within 50 metres of a road than in roadless areas.

The administration argues that lifting the rule will aid wildfire prevention and management. However, the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission did not recommend repealing it in its review of wildfire policy. Critics accuse officials of using fire concerns as cover for expanding logging opportunities. The original 2001 environmental impact statement warned that building roads in protected areas would likely increase the chances of human-ignited fires.

The proposed repeal would remove protections from vast stretches of national forest, potentially opening them to road construction and timber harvesting. If finalised, the change could reshape forest management policies while altering fire risks and wildlife habitats. The decision now faces further review and likely legal challenges.