Spiraling wildfire fighting costs are largely beyond the Forest Service's control
https://phys.org/news/2018-07-spiraling-wildfire-largely-forest.html
Earlier this year Congress passed a "fire funding fix" that changes the way in which the federal government will pay for large fires during expensive fire seasons. This is vital for helping to restore the Forest Service budget. But the funding fix doesn't affect the factors that drive costs, such as climate trends and more people living in fire prone landscapes.
Why are costs increasing so dramatically? Many factors have come together to create a perfect storm. Climate change, past forest and fire management practices, housing development, increased focus on community protection and the professionalization of wildfire management are all driving up costs.