Article Summary

This article is not considered a psychological operation. It reports on allegations that Michael Boren, the US undersecretary of agriculture, repeatedly contacted Forest Service officials to push for increased aircraft deployment to fight a small wildfire near his Idaho ranch, according to current and former agency officials and internal communications reviewed by The Washington Post. The article examines whether Boren's personal connection to the area influenced the federal response, which involved an unusually large number of aircraft, some diverted from other fires, while a USDA spokesperson defended his actions as routine oversight.