Catastrophic wildfires are burning through forests—and budgets. Yet one of the best tools to prevent them, prescribed and managed fire, is still underused. While suppression costs climb, the federal government continues to shortchange proven, low-cost strategies that reduce risk and restore forest health. Prescribed fire can cost as little as $11 an acre—compared to $2,000 or more for mechanical thinning. It’s not just cheaper; it’s often more effective. But outdated policies, poor incentives, and regulatory barriers keep this tool on the sidelines. Until federal agencies treat fire as a necessary ecological process—not just a threat—taxpayers will keep footing the bill for avoidable disasters.