After a relatively calm wildfire year in 2025, the 2026 fire season is already raising alarms. An unusually dry winter across much of the West has left forests and grasslands primed to burn, increasing the odds that this year’s fires could spread faster and hit harder.

“There is a growing recognition that more work needs to be done in terms of mitigation and liability reforms,” said Capstone Energy advisor Jack Buckley. “What you need is holistic reform.”