Wisconsin's Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest is one of the largest national forests east of the Mississippi. Sixty-nine thousand acres of it are protected as roadless wilderness — no logging, no road construction. A vote in Washington could wipe that out, and the justification being used doesn't hold up.

In June 2026, the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee voted to attach an amendment to the bipartisan Wildfire Prevention Act that would repeal the "roadless rule" — a 25-year-old protection covering 59 million acres of national forest nationally. Supporters say it will help prevent wildfires. Wisconsin's own experts say that argument doesn't apply here.

Paul Strong, a former supervisor of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, put it plainly: "Even if roads were put into those areas, it wouldn't be a noticeable change (where people) would say, 'Yeah, we've just reduced fire risk significantly.' That would almost be laughable." In Wisconsin, 98 percent of wildfires are caused by people — the number one cause is burning debris. Fires here don't start in remote roadless wilderness. They start near people. Near roads.

A 2020 U.S. Forest Service study confirmed what Wisconsin foresters already know: forests with and without roads have burned at similar rates since the rule took effect. "Speculation that eliminating road prohibitions would improve forest health is not supported by nearly 20 years of monitoring data," the study states.

What the repeal would do is open Wisconsin's protected forest land to logging and industrial development. The Chequamegon-Nicolet supports clean water, wildlife habitat, biodiversity, and outdoor recreation that communities across northern Wisconsin depend on. A blanket federal policy designed for drought-stricken western forests should not be applied to Wisconsin without evidence it helps — and there is none.

We call on Wisconsin's U.S. Senators and the full Senate to strip this amendment from the Wildfire Prevention Act. Wildfire legislation should address wildfire. Leave our protected forests alone.

Photo by MDuchek