In McGaffey, New Mexico, located in the American West where the federal government owns over half of the land, daily life is closely tied to the federal agencies that manage it. In the remote Zuni Mountains of northwestern New Mexico, Brian Leddy owns a historic cabin on land leased from the U.S. Forest Service. Currently, the area, which usually experiences snow and mud under the tall pines, is unusually dry.
Leddy expressed concerns about the ongoing fire season, mentioning difficulties in securing insurance for his property. He noted the heightened anxiety resulting from funding cuts to federal lands agencies under the Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk. The cuts have led to the elimination of hundreds of Forest Service jobs, and reports suggest additional layoffs could occur.
Leddy worries about the community’s ability to respond to potential fires, questioning whether the federal government can act effectively. As the leader of a nonprofit promoting local outdoor recreation on public lands, he perceives attempts by the administration to undermine federal land agencies. Despite this, Trump administration officials maintain that wildland firefighting positions remain exempt from the federal hiring freeze.
Forest workers have reported low morale, with many activities aimed at protecting land and wildlife, such as watershed and floodplain restoration and brush clearing, currently stalled. Kayla, a former Forest Service employee in New Mexico who has been temporarily rehired following a court ruling, described the situation as a “ticking time bomb” due to the loss of positions.
Interviews with several federal workers revealed a demoralizing environment following the administration’s decision to freeze federal funding for review. This pause left slash piles unburned in forests, putting wildfire prevention efforts at a standstill. The administration also canceled wildfire prevention grants potentially linked to “climate change” or “diversity.”
Meanwhile, President Trump has ordered the Forest Service to increase logging by 25% as a fire crisis strategy. However, federal funding cuts have affected NGOs contracted to conduct forest health and wildfire mitigation projects, delaying critical operations due to insufficient funds.
In Taos County, New Mexico, local officials and residents are anxious in the face of ongoing wildfires and lingering dry conditions after a recent deadly wildfire. County Commissioner AnJanette Brush reported that nearly half of the county, managed by the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management, faces uncertainty regarding agency staffing levels. Brush emphasized residents’ need for assurance that the federal government will support them.
Despite the anxiety, some rural communities in the West, including New Mexico, continue to experience longstanding tensions with federal land agencies. Historical grievances include regulatory restrictions by the Forest Service and recent prescribed burns that grew out of control, leading to New Mexico’s largest-ever wildfire, the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon fire.
Bill Siebersma, a long-term collaborator with the Cibola National Forest, noted the growing bureaucracy in expanding mountain bike trails that draw tourists to the Zuni Mountains. While Siebersma supports administrative measures to eliminate unnecessary expenses, locals remain cautious, awaiting confirmation of the Forest Service’s preparedness for the fire season.
This report is part of an NPR National Desk series reviewing how President Trump’s initial actions are influencing communities across the United States.
