119th Congress (2025-2026)

HR 1923

Modernizing Wildfire Safety and Prevention Act of 2025

In Committee

Jurisdiction

US Congress

Session

119th Congress (2025-2026)

Official source

Chamber

House

Session

119th Congress (2025-2026)

Jurisdiction

US Congress

Bill overview

The Modernizing Wildfire Safety and Prevention Act of 2025 aims to improve wildfire management and response through several key initiatives. It expands federal assistance for wildfire-related emergencies, establishes a national smoke monitoring system, and increases support for wildland firefighters and their families. The bill also focuses on developing dynamic risk maps, enhancing workforce training, and improving FEMA programs to better address wildfire impacts and recovery. It is based on recommendations from the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission.

Key provisions

Expands federal assistance for wildfire response, recovery, and mitigation, including expedited declaration timelines and faster payment for disaster assistance.
Creates a Middle Fire Leaders Academy to train and certify wildland fire response workforce employees.
Establishes a Wildfire Workforce Grant Program to fund educational and vocational programs in wildfire emergency management.
Develops a national smoke monitoring and alert system to provide real-time air quality information.
Authorizes the creation of a Joint Office of the Fire Environment Center to provide scientific information and support for community decision-making.
Improves FEMA programs to better address wildfire damage, including expanding access to management cost funds.
Establishes a Wildland Fire Management Casualty Assistance Program to support the families of critically injured or killed wildland firefighters.
Modifies existing laws to provide retroactive credit to wildland firefighters who previously lacked eligibility for certain retirement benefits.

Positions across the country

No public positions recorded for this legislation.

Arguments in favor

Reasons to support this legislation.

No arguments in favor have been submitted.

Submit yours

Arguments opposed

Reasons to oppose this legislation.

No arguments opposed have been submitted.

Submit yours

Legislative history

2025-03-06House

Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Education and Workforce, Oversight and Government Reform, Armed Services, Energy and Commerce, Science, Space, and Technology, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Small Business, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

2025-03-06House

Read the latest version inline or switch to a previous version.

Mar 6, 2025XMLView source

119th CONGRESS — 1st Session

H. R. 1923

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

A BILL

To provide for the implementation of certain recommendations from the Report of the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission.

1.Short title

This Act may be cited as the

Modernizing Wildfire Safety and Prevention Act of 2025

2.Table of Contents

The table of contents for this Act is the following:

Sec. 1. Short title.

Sec. 2. Table of Contents.

Sec. 3. Definition of Report.

Title I—Workforce Development

Sec. 101. Middle Fire Leaders Academy (Report Recommendation 55).

Sec. 102. Wildfire workforce grant program (Report Recommendation 88).

Title II—Wildland Firefighter Support

Sec. 201. Fire Service Retention and Retirement Portability (Report Recommendation 86).

Sec. 202. Wildland Fire Management Casualty Assistance Program (Report Recommendation 87).

Title III—Wildfire Smoke and Public Health

Sec. 301. National Smoke Monitoring and Alert System (Report Recommendation 44).

Sec. 302. Health risk assessment for Wildfire Smoke Exposure (Report Recommendation 100).

Title IV—Fire Mitigation and Technology

Sec. 401. Improvements to wildfire forage loss programs (Report Recommendation 59).

Sec. 402. Improvements to FEMA Programs (Report Recommendations 66 and 64).

Sec. 403. The Wildland Dynamic Risk Mapping Program (Report Recommendation 118).

Sec. 404. Improvements to grant programs for community wildfire risk reduction and postfire recovery efforts (Report Recommendation 142).

Sec. 405. Joint Office of the Fire Environment Center (Report Recommendations 104, 105, 106).

Sec. 406. Interagency Data Collaboration Environment (Report Recommendation 107).

Sec. 407. Requirements related to payment timing for certain programs addressing wildfire damages (Report Recommendation 61).

3.Definition of Report

In this Act, the term Report means the Report of the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission, dated September 2023.

IWorkforce Development

101.Middle Fire Leaders Academy (Report Recommendation 55)

(a)Middle Fire Leaders AcademyNot later than a 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Chief of the Forest Service, in coordination with National Wildfire Coordinating Group, shall create a Middle Fire Leaders Academy which shall be open to Federal and non-Federal wildland fire response workforce employees. The Middle Fire Leaders Academy shall provide—

(1)

rapid training and certification for emerging wildfire and beneficial fire leaders; and

(2)additional and expanded training of sufficient quality to enable managers and decision makers responsible for addressing wildfire incidents and prescribed burns to make informed decisions regarding the beneficial application and management of fire, including managing local fire regimes and other forms of beneficial fire use.

(b)Authorization of appropriationsThere is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2035.

102.Wildfire workforce grant program (Report Recommendation 88)

(a)Grants authorized

Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Education shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities to carry out a program described in subsection (c).

(b)ApplicationTo be eligible to receive a grant under this Act, an eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary an application in such manner, at such time, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.

(c)Use of funds

An eligible entity that receives a grant under this Act shall carry out an educational or vocational program that leads to a degree, certificate, or other recognized credential in wildfire emergency management, including—

(1)

agricultural landscape planning relating to wildfire resilience;

(2)

natural resource management relating to wildfire resilience;

(3)

emergency management;

(4)

emergency medical technician services;

(5)

paramedic services;

(6)

fire science;

(7)

firefighting;

(8)

community planning relating to wildfire resilience;

(9)short- and long-term post fire recovery safety and operations training for structural firefighters assigned to wildfire incidents; or

(10)

any other program that trains individuals in the wildfire mitigation, response, or recovery workforce.

(d)Definitions

In this section:

(1)Accredited local academyThe term accredited local academy means a partnership, between a local fire suppression organization and the office of the Fire Marshall of a State, that delivers a State Fire Training program.

(2)Accredited regional training programThe term accredited regional training program means a partnership, between a junior or community college or institution of higher education and the office of the Fire Marshall of a State, or the State Wildland Firefighting Agency or in combination of Federal Land Management Agencies, that delivers an approved State Fire Training program within a given region.

(3)Eligible entity

The term eligible entity means—

(A)

a junior or community college;

(B)

an institution of higher education;

(C)

an accredited regional training program;

(D)

an accredited local academy; or

(E)

a nonprofit entity with experience administering education and training programs for fire service personnel.

(4)Institution of higher education

The term institution of higher education has the meaning given such term in section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002).

(5)Junior or community college

The term junior or community college has the meaning given such term in section 312 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1058).

(e)Authorization of appropriationsThere is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2035.

IIWildland Firefighter Support

201.Fire Service Retention and Retirement Portability (Report Recommendation 86)

(a)Continuing accrual of service for firefighters

(1)Federal employees’ retirement system

Section 8401(14) of title 5, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:

(14)

the term firefighter means—

(A)

an employee, the duties of whose position—

(i)

are primarily to perform work directly connected with the control and extinguishment of nonwildland fires; and

(ii)

are sufficiently rigorous that employment opportunities should be limited to young and physically vigorous individuals, as determined by the Director considering the recommendations of the employing agency;

(B)

an employee, the duties of whose position—

(i)

are primarily to perform work directly connected with the control and extinguishment of wildland fires; and

(ii)

(C)

an employee who—

(i)

is transferred directly to a supervisory or administrative position after performing duties described in subparagraph (A) for at least 3 years; and

(ii)

while serving in such supervisory or administrative position, has no break in service; or

(D)

an employee who—

(i)

occupies a supervisory or administrative position after performing duties described in subparagraph (B) for not less than 3 years; and

(ii)

has not more than 24 months in total time of breaks in service;

(2)Service before date of enactment

(A)In general

Subject to the requirements under subparagraph (B), service performed before the date of enactment of this Act by an individual who, on the date of enactment of this Act, is an employee (as defined in section 8401(11) of title 5, United States Code) shall, for the purposes of chapter 84 of title 5, United States Code, be treated as service performed by a firefighter if—

(i)

such service was performed during the period beginning on October 1, 2003, and ending on the day before the date of enactment of this Act;

(ii)

at the time of performing such service—

(I)

the individual did not meet the requirements to be a firefighter under section 8401(14) of title 5, United States Code, because of a break in service; and

(II)

would have met the requirements to be a firefighter under section 8401(14)(D) of title 5, United States Code, as amended by this Act; and

(iii)

appropriate deductions and withholdings under sections 8422 and 8423 of title 5, United States Code, were made during such service.

(B)Credit for service

To receive credit for eligible service under subparagraph (A), the applicable individual shall—

(i)

before the date on which the individual separates from service in the agency in which the individual holds a position on the date of enactment of this Act, submit a written election to the agency employing the individual;

(ii)

if the individual is not employed by the agency that employed the individual when the service described in subparagraph (A) was performed, submit a written election to such agency; and

(iii)

remit to the agency that employed the individual when such service was performed the additional amount that would have been deducted during the period of prior service under section 8422 of title 5, United States Code, from the pay of the individual if the amendments made by paragraph (1) had been in effect during the prior service, plus any applicable interest computed under section 8334(e) of title 5, United States Code.

(C)Government contributions

If an individual remits payment under subparagraph (B)(iii) with respect to service described in subparagraph (A), the agency that employed the individual when such service was performed shall remit to the Office of Personnel Management (for deposit in the Treasury of the United States to the credit of the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund) the total additional amount of Federal contributions that would have been paid under section 8423 of title 5, United States Code, if the amendments made by paragraph (1) had been in effect during the prior service, plus any applicable interest computed in accordance with section 8334(e) of title 5, United States Code.

(D)Notification and assistance requirements

The Director of the Office of Personnel Management shall—

(i)

take such action as may be necessary and appropriate to inform individuals entitled to have any service credited under this subsection, or to have any annuity computed under this subsection, of the entitlement to the credit or computation; and

(ii)

upon request, assist any individual described in clause (i) in obtaining such information in the possession of the Secretary of Agriculture or the Secretary of the Interior, as applicable, as may be necessary to verify the entitlement of the individual to have any service credited, or to have any annuity computed, pursuant to this subsection.

(E)Rule of construction

Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to permit or require the making of any contribution to the Thrift Savings Fund that would not otherwise have been permitted or required but for the enactment of this subsection.

(b)Retention of enhanced retirement benefits during period of non-Federal serviceSection 104(e)(2) of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5323(e)) is amended by adding at the end the following: Any Federal wildland firefighter (as that term is defined in section 201(d) of the Modernizing Wildfire Safety and Prevention Act of 2025) who retains coverage, rights, and benefits under such chapter 83 or 84 pursuant to this paragraph shall retain enhanced retirement benefits under either such chapter..

(c)Job-SharingNotwithstanding any other provision of law, a Federal wildland firefighter or wildland fire support personnel may occupy a position in the civil service (as that term is defined in section 2101 of title 5, United States Code) and a position with a Tribal government under a job-share agreement even if the position with a Tribal government is classified at a level higher than the civil service position, including any level that is above that of the highest level applicable to the General Schedule.

(d)Federal wildland firefighter

In this section, the term Federal wildland firefighter means a person who is—

(1)

in a temporary, seasonal, or permanent position at the Department of Agriculture or the Department of the Interior or as a Tribal firefighter who;

(A)

maintains group, emergency incident management, or fire qualifications, as established annually by the Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications published by the National Wildfire Coordinating Group; and

(B)

primarily engages in or supports wildland fire management activities, including forestry and rangeland technicians and positions concerning aviation, engineering heavy equipment operations, dispatch, or fire and fuels management; or

(2)a Federal firefighter stationed on military installations under the Department of Defense who engages in or supports wildland fire management activities, including forestry and rangeland technicians and positions concerning aviation, engineering heavy equipment operations, dispatch, or fire and fuels management.

202.Wildland Fire Management Casualty Assistance Program (Report Recommendation 87)

(a)Development of ProgramNot later than 6 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall develop a Wildland Fire Management Casualty Assistance Program (referred to in this section as the Program) to provide assistance to the next of kin of—

(1)firefighters who, while in the line of duty, suffer illness or are critically injured or killed; and

(2)

wildland fire support personnel critically injured or killed in the line of duty.

(b)Aspects of Program

The Program shall address the following:

(1)

The initial and any subsequent notifications to the next of kin of a firefighter or wildland fire support personnel who—

(A)

was killed in the line of duty; or

(B)

requires hospitalization or treatment at a medical facility due to a line-of-duty injury or illness.

(2)

The reimbursement of next of kin for expenses associated with travel to visit a firefighter or wildland fire support personnel who—

(A)

was killed in the line of duty; or

(B)

requires hospitalization or treatment at a medical facility due to a line-of-duty injury or illness.

(3)

The qualifications, assignment, training, duties, supervision, and accountability for the performance of casualty assistance responsibilities.

(4)The relief or transfer of casualty assistance officers, including notification to survivors of critical injury or illness in the line of duty and next of kin of the reassignment of such officers to other duties.

(5)

Centralized, short-term and long-term case management procedures for casualty assistance, including rapid access by survivors of firefighters or wildland fire support personnel and casualty assistance officers to expert case managers and counselors.

(6)

The provision, through a computer accessible website and other means and at no cost to survivors and next of kin of firefighters or wildland fire support personnel, of personalized, integrated information on the benefits and financial assistance available to such survivors from the Federal Government.

(7)

The provision of information to survivors and next of kin of firefighters or wildland fire support personnel on mechanisms for registering complaints about, or requests for, additional assistance related to casualty assistance.

(8)Liaison with the Department of the Interior, the Department of Justice, and the Social Security Administration to ensure prompt and accurate resolution of issues relating to benefits administered by those agencies for survivors of firefighters or wildland fire support personnel.

(9)Data collection regarding the incidence and quality of casualty assistance provided to survivors of firefighters or wildland fire support personnel.

(c)Line of Duty Death benefitsThe Program shall not affect existing authorities for Line of Duty Death benefits for Federal firefighters and wildland fire support personnel.

(d)Next of Kin definedIn this section, the term next of kin means person or persons in the highest category of priority as determined by the following list (categories appear in descending order of priority):

(1)

Surviving legal spouse.

(2)

Children (whether by current or prior marriage) age 18 years or older in descending precedence by age.

(3)

Father or mother, unless by court order custody has been vested in another (adoptive parent takes precedence over natural parent);

(4)

Siblings (whole or half) age 18 years or older in descending precedence by age.

(5)

Grandfather or grandmother.

(6)

Any other relative (precedence to be determined in accordance with the civil law of descent of the deceased former member’s State of domicile at time of death).

(e)Authorization of AppropriationsThere is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section, $1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2035.

IIIWildfire Smoke and Public Health

301.National Smoke Monitoring and Alert System (Report Recommendation 44)

(a)EstablishmentThe Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, acting through the Director of the National Weather Service, and in conjunction with the Secretary of Agriculture acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, the Secretary of the Interior, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shall establish a nationally consistent smoke monitoring and alert system to provide consistent, real-time information and forecasts on air quality impacts from wildfire smoke, including wildfire smoke in the built environment.

(b)Increase in smoke sensorsIn carrying out subsection (a), to ensure adequate and accessible data, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall increase the availability and use of air monitoring devices for wildfire smoke, including, to distinguish wildfire smoke from other forms of air pollution, increasing the availability and use of—

(1)

speciation monitors; and

(2)

nonregulatory air monitors.

(c)Use of satellitesIn carrying out subsection (a), the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall explore the use of satellites.

(d)Public county-Resolution smoke alert system for public health and roadways safetyIn carrying out subsection (a), not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, acting through the Director of the National Weather Service and in coordination with the Secretary of Agriculture acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, the Secretary of the Interior, and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shall establish a public county-resolution smoke alert system for public health and roadways safety which shall be based on levels of particulate matter. The system established under this subsection shall be in addition to the National Weather Service Dense Smoke Advisories, which are based on visibility.

(e)Collection and dissemination of air quality and smoke alert informationIn carrying out subsection (a), the Director of the National Weather Service shall collect all air quality forecasts, including through AirNow, public notifications, and alerts for smoke issued by Federal, State, local, Tribal, and territorial air agencies and disseminate them through weather forecast office networks to enable the Wireless Emergency Alerts System to be extended to support smoke communications to protect public health.

(f)Forest Service personnel and smoke monitoring equipmentIn carrying out subsection (a), not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, in coordination with the Secretary of the Interior, shall expand the personnel and smoke monitoring equipment of the Forest Service to increase the capacity of the Forest Service to assess wildfire smoke, including wildfire smoke in the built environment, and carry out prescribed fires.

(g)Interagency Wildland Fire Air Quality Response Program personnel and smoke monitoring equipmentIn carrying out subsection (a), not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior shall expand the personnel (including air resource advisors) of, and smoke monitoring equipment available to, the Interagency Wildland Fire Air Quality Response Program established under section 1114(f) of the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act (43 U.S.C. 1748b–1(f)).

(h)Expansion of emergency response capacity

(1)In general

In carrying out subsection (a), the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall expand the emergency response capacity, including personnel and equipment, of the Environmental Protection Agency—

(A)

to measure air pollution from wildfires that involve combustion of hazardous materials; and

(B)

to communicate information during smoke events resulting from wildfires.

(2)DefinitionIn this subsection, the term hazardous materials means explosive, flammable, combustible, corrosive, oxidizing, toxic, infectious, or radioactive materials that, when involved in an accident and released in sufficient quantities, put some portion of the general public in immediate danger from exposure, contact, inhalation, or ingestion.

(i)Improvements to existing systemsIn carrying out subsection (a), in order to maintain the Environmental Protection Agency AirNow framework and technology as a state-of-the-art, real-time resource for providing robust and actionable information to protect public health from wildfire smoke, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall, as the Administrator determines appropriate, improve and modernize such AirNow framework and technology, including by making improvements to and otherwise modernizing AirNow.gov, AirNow-Tech, the AirNow Environmental Protection Agency and Forest Service Fire and Smoke Map, AirNow Forecast Submittal System, and the AirNow mobile app.

(j)Authorization of appropriationsThere is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $32,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2035.

302.Health risk assessment for Wildfire Smoke Exposure (Report Recommendation 100)

(a)In GeneralNot later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, in consultation with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Administrator of the United States Fire Administration, the Chief of the Forest Service, and the Director of the Office of Wildland Fire, shall complete a human health risk assessment for worker exposure to wildfire smoke to estimate the nature and probability of adverse health effects in workers who may be exposed to hazards from wildfire smoke, including wildfire smoke in the built environment.

(b)Requirements for assessmentThe human health risk assessment required under subsection (a) shall address the following:

(1)The health problems for workers that may be caused by exposure to wildfire smoke, including wildfire smoke in the built environment.

(2)The probability that workers will experience health problems when exposed to different concentrations of wildfire smoke, including wildfire smoke in the built environment.

(3)The chemicals that workers are exposed to from wildfire smoke, including wildfire smoke in the built environment, as well as the overall level and duration of such exposure.

(4)

The differences in worker susceptibility to health effects from exposure to wildfire smoke, including wildfire smoke in the built environment.

(5)The effectiveness of mitigating both acute and cumulative exposures to wildfire smoke, including wildfire smoke in the built environment, in decreasing adverse health effects from such wildfire smoke.

(c)Best practicesNot later than 6 months after completing the human health risk assessment under subsection (a), the Director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health shall develop and publish best practices to mitigate worker exposure to wildfire smoke, including wildfire smoke in the built environment. Such best practices shall be informed by the human health assessment completed under subsection (a).

(d)Authorization of appropriationsThere is authorized to be appropriated to the Director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to carry out this section $1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2028.

IVFire Mitigation and Technology

401.Improvements to wildfire forage loss programs (Report Recommendation 59)

(a)Livestock forage programSection 1501(c)(4)(A)(ii) of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9081(c)(4)(A)(ii)) is amended by inserting (including a prescribed fire, beneficial fire, and wildfire managed for resource objectives) before the period.

(b)Emergency livestock assistance programSection 1501(d)(1) of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9081(d)(1)) is amended by striking and wildfires and inserting wildfires, beneficial fires, prescribed fires, and wildfires managed for resource objectives.

402.Improvements to FEMA Programs (Report Recommendations 66 and 64)

(a)In generalSection 324 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5165b) is amended—

(1)in subsection (b)(2)—

(A)

by redesignating subparagraphs (A) and (B) as clauses (i) and (ii), respectively, and adjusting the margins accordingly; and

(B)in the matter preceding clause (i), as so redesignated, by striking provide the following percentage rates and inserting “provide—

(A)excess funds for management costs as described in subsection (c); and

(B)

the following percentage rates

;

(2)

by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d); and

(3)

by inserting after subsection (b) the following:

(c)Use of excess funds for management costs

(1)Definition

In this subsection, the term excess funds for management costs means the difference between—

(A)

the amount of the applicable specific management costs authorized under subsection (b)(1) and subsection (b)(2)(B); and

(B)

as of the date on which the grant award is closed, the amount of funding for management costs activities expended by the grantee or subgrantee receiving the financial assistance for costs described in subparagraph (A).

(2)Availability of excess funds for management costs

The President may make available to a grantee or subgrantee receiving financial assistance under section 403, 404, 406, 407, or 502 any excess funds for management costs.

(3)Use of funds

Excess funds for management costs made available to a grantee or subgrantee under paragraph (2) may be used for—

(A)activities associated with building capacity to prepare for, recover from, or mitigate the impacts of a major disaster or emergency declared under section 401 or 501, respectively; and

(B)management costs associated with any—

(i)major disaster;

(ii)emergency;

(iii)disaster preparedness measure; or

(iv)mitigation activity or measure authorized under section 203, 204, 205, or 404.

(4)Availability

Excess funds for management costs made available to a grantee or subgrantee under paragraph (2) shall remain available to the grantee or subgrantee until the date that is 5 years after the date on which the excess funds for management costs are made available under paragraph (2).

(b)Applicability

The amendments made by subsection (a) shall apply with respect to any grant award in relation to a major disaster or emergency declared under section 401 or 501, respectively, of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170, 5191)—

(1)the declaration of which is made on or after the date of enactment of this Act; and

(2)

that is funded with amounts appropriated on or after the date of enactment of this Act.

(c)GAO study

Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a report—

(1)on the actual management costs described in section 324 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5165b) during the period of a major disaster declaration under section 401 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 5170) to determine whether the amount set aside for those management costs after the date of enactment of this Act is appropriate; and

(2)that includes the management costs described in section 324 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5165b) for each disaster declared under during the period of a major disaster declaration under section 401 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 5170) during the 5-year period preceding the date of the report, the amount set aside for those management costs, the use of those management costs, the length of each disaster, and the reason for the length of each disaster.

(d)No additional funds

No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry out the amendments made by subsection (a).

(e)Treatment of multiple events stemming from same wildfire

(1)Major disaster assistance programsSection 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170) is amended—

(d)Wildland fire major disaster declarationIn the case of an initial wildland fire major disaster declaration under this section, the declaration shall include any landslide, mudslide, flood, or other natural disaster event which stems from the wildland fire occuring within the 3-year period beginning on the first date of the wildland fire.

(2)Emergency assistance programs

Section 501 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 5191) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(3)Effective date

The amendments made by this subsection shall apply with respect to events occurring after the date of the enactment of this Act.

(f)Fire management assistance program policy

Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall recommend such regulations or guidance as are necessary to make eligible assessments and emergency stabilization to protect public safety, including for the fire management assistance program under section 420 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5187), irrespective of the incident period for a declared fire.

(g)Changes to public assistance policy guide

Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall amend the Public Assistance Program and Policy Guide of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to include guidance on wildfire-specific recovery challenges, including debris removal, emergency protective measures, and the resulting toxicity of drinking water resources.

(h)Mitigation cost Effectiveness

(1)In general

The Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall conduct a review of the criteria for evaluating the cost effectiveness of projects intended to mitigate the impacts of wildfire under sections 203 and 404 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5133; 5170c), including—

(A)

the establishment of precalculated benefits criterion for common defensible space mitigation projects for wildfire mitigation;

(B)

the use of nature-based infrastructure in wildfire mitigation;

(C)considerations for vegetation management for wildfire mitigation;

(D)reducing the negative effects of wildfire smoke on public health; and

(E)

lessening the impact of wildfires on water infrastructure.

(2)Updated criteria

Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall issue such guidance as is necessary to—

(A)

update criteria for evaluating the cost effectiveness of mitigation projects under sections 203 and 404 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5133; 5170c) based on the results of the review conducted under paragraph (1); and

(B)

prioritize such projects based on the criteria updated under subparagraph (A).

403.The Wildland Dynamic Risk Mapping Program (Report Recommendation 118)

(a)In generalNot later than 3 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall work jointly with the National Aeronautical and Space Agency, United States Geological Survey, United States Fire Administration, universities, and National Laboratories to—

(1)develop dynamic risk and hazard maps for the wildland and built environments in the United States; and

(2)ensure that such dynamic risk maps are updated as required to reflect each wildfire season—

(A)

changes in the natural environment, such as postflood or fire alterations;

(B)

rapidly changing environmental conditions;

(C)measure changes in fuels moisture on the temporal scale; and

(D)utilize both remote sensing technologies and on the ground monitoring.

(b)Authorization of appropriationsThere is authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to carry out this section $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030.

404.Improvements to grant programs for community wildfire risk reduction and postfire recovery efforts (Report Recommendation 142)

(a)In general

Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretaries shall, with respect to the grant programs for community wildfire risk reduction and postfire recovery efforts carried out by each such Secretary—

(1)

increase the accessibility of such grant programs;

(2)reduce the complexity of the application process for grants under such programs, including—

(A)

by reducing the amount of information required to apply; and

(B)

to the maximum extent practicable, enabling auto-populating fields in the online applications for such grants;

(3)reduce administrative burden with respect to such grant programs, including by—

(A)

aligning program applications to reduce separate applications for similar programs; and

(B)

developing a common section for applications to reduce duplicative questions;

(4)

review the statutory and administrative barriers that impede the ability of communities to quickly access funds under each such grant program;

(5)increase technical assistance provided to applicants, recipients, and subrecipients; and

(6)

increase outreach to potential applicants for such grant programs, including by—

(A)

providing appropriate dedicated staff to assist individuals and communities in identifying and applying for grants under such grant programs; and

(B)

notifying potential applicants of eligibility and open application seasons with respect to such grant programs.

(b)Secretaries definedIn this section, the term Secretaries means the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Administrator of the Small Business Administration, and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.

405.Joint Office of the Fire Environment Center (Report Recommendations 104, 105, 106)

(a)Establishment

(1)In general

Not later than a 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall establish a joint office, which shall be known as the Joint Office of the Fire Environment Center.

(2)Structure

The Joint Office shall be comprised of the following branches:

(A)Technology and EngineeringTechnology and Engineering, which shall—

(i)

focus on modeling and the building and testing of technology; and

(ii)

may enter into public-private partnerships.

(B)Data Services

Data Services, which shall—

(i)be responsible for testing artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies to support managers, firefighters, and public health officials on the ground, including producing decision consequence data, modeling risk, and suggesting resources based on fire and smoke conditions at the time and place of ignition detection; and

(ii)

working with State, local, and Tribal entities on data sharing.

(C)Analysis and Prediction

Analysis and Prediction.

(D)Education and Consultation

Education and Consultation, which shall be responsible for incident management.

(E)Other

Any other branch determined necessary or appropriate by the Board.

(b)Functions of Joint Office

(1)In general

(A)Availability of products and informationThe Joint Office shall make available any products and information developed by the Joint Office to—

(i)

geographic area coordination centers;

(ii)

incident management teams;

(iii)

land managers;

(iv)

air quality and water provider agencies;

(v)

State, local, and Tribal governments; and

(vi)public health agencies.

(B)Services and support

The Joint Office shall provide real-time, science-based, and data-rich scientific and technical analytic services, decision support, and predictive services to inform land and fuels management, community risk reduction, and fire management and response, including the following:

(i)Prefire mitigation and risk reductionPrefire mitigation and risk reduction activities for landscapes and communities, including through assessments and modeling of—

(I)

climate condition;

(II)

fuels;

(III)

home ignition;

(IV)

structure-to-structure spread; and

(V)

values at risk.

(ii)Public health and safety during and after fireActivities that better protect public health and safety during and after a fire, including mapping services and data provision to support evacuation decisions in communities at risk and air quality monitoring and forecast data to support health risk information that helps protect the public from smoke impacts associated with fire.

(iii)Fire response and management

Fire response and management, including—

(I)

response preparedness and initial attack readiness for new fires;

(II)

deployment of response resources; and

(III)

firefighter movement decisions during active fire management.

(iv)Postfire activities

Postfire activities, including—

(I)

vegetation recovery;

(II)

debris flows and flooding;

(III)

watershed protection; and

(IV)

ecosystem health.

(C)Coordination of functionsThe Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in coordination with each of the agencies specified in subparagraphs (B) through (J) of subsection (c)(1), shall operate as a collective entity to produce accessible products and services for a variety of users and uses in fire management, including by—

(i)

developing timely, manager-focused models, technologies, assessments, and forecasts to support fire operational decisionmaking, and short- and long-term fire planning; and

(ii)integrating the existing specialties of the constituent land management, community preparedness, and public health agencies.

(2)Technological common operating environment

(A)In generalThe Joint Office shall develop a technological common operating environment for practitioners across the spectrum of risk mitigation, prescribed fire, response, and postdisaster response to shepherd the creation of highly dynamic decision support tools.

(B)Public health information

The Joint Office shall ensure that public health information that is essential to integrate into this common operating environment is provided to ensure its products accurately reflect the depth and breadth of the wildfire issues. Information provided shall include air quality data and forecasts and information pertaining to the built environment.

(c)Board of the Joint Office

(1)Number and appointment

The Joint Office shall be governed by a board, comprised of 12 members, as follows:

(A)One member who is a career employee of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, appointed by the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

(B)One member who is a career employee of the United States Fire Administration, appointed by the Administrator of the United States Fire Administration.

(C)One member who is a career employee of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, appointed by the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

(D)One member who is a career employee of the National Weather Service, appointed by the Director of the National Weather Service.

(E)One member who is a career employee of the Forest Service, appointed by the Chief of the Forest Service.

(F)One member who is a career employee of the Department of the Interior, appointed by the Secretary of the Interior.

(G)One member who is a career employee of the Bureau of Land Management, appointed by the Director of the Bureau of Land Management.

(H)One member who is a career employee of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, appointed by the Director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

(I)One member who is a career employee of the National Park Service, appointed by the Director of the National Park Service.

(J)One member who is a career employee of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, appointed by the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

(K)Two members who are non-Federal representatives of the wildfire community, appointed by the Board. Their initial terms can be 1 year each.

(L)Two members who are State representations of the wildfire community, appointed by the Board. Their initial terms can be 1 year each.

(2)Terms

(A)In general

Each member shall be appointed for a term of 5 years, except as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3).

(B)Terms of initial appointees

Of the members first appointed—

(i)

the members appointed under subparagraphs (I), (J), and (K) of paragraph (1) shall be appointed for terms of 1 year;

(ii)the members appointed under subparagraphs (D) and (G) of paragraph (1) shall be appointed for terms of 2 years;

(iii)the members appointed under subparagraphs (F) and (H) of paragraph (1) shall be appointed for terms of 3 years; and

(iv)the members appointed under subparagraphs (C) and (E) of paragraph (1) shall be appointed for terms of 4 years.

(C)Vacancies

Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring before the expiration of the term for which the member’s predecessor was appointed shall be appointed only for the remainder of that term. A member may serve after the expiration of that member’s term until a successor has taken office. A vacancy in the Board shall be filled in the manner in which the original appointment was made.

(3)Prohibition of compensation of Federal employees

Members of the Board who are career employees of the United States may not receive additional pay, allowances, or benefits by reason of their service on the Board.

(4)Travel expenses

Each member shall receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with applicable provisions under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code.

(5)Quorum

Nine members of the Board shall constitute a quorum.

(6)Chairperson; Vice Chairperson

The Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of the Board shall be elected by the members of the Board. The term of office of the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson shall be 1 year.

(7)Meetings

The Board shall meet at least quarterly and at a call of a majority of its members.

(d)Director and staff of Joint Office; experts and consultants

(1)DirectorThe Joint Office shall have a Director who shall be appointed by the Board. To the extent or in the amounts provided in advance in appropriation Acts, the Director shall be paid at a rate of basic pay not to exceed the rate of basic pay for level II of the Executive Schedule. The budget and decisionmaking authority for the Joint Office is vested in the Director.

(2)Chief Information Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Technology Officer, and Chief Operating OfficerWith the approval of the Board, the Director may appoint a Chief Information Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Technology Officer, and Chief Operating Officer.

(3)StaffWith the approval of the Board, the Director may appoint at least 100 personnel and may appoint such additional personnel as the Director considers appropriate.

(4)Applicability of certain civil service laws

The Director and staff of the Joint Office shall be appointed subject to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing appointments in the competitive service, and shall be paid in accordance with the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of that title relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates.

(5)Experts and consultants

With the approval of the Joint Office, the Director may procure temporary and intermittent services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, but at rates for individuals not to exceed the daily equivalent of the maximum annual rate of basic pay under the General Schedule.

(6)Staff of Federal agencies

Upon request of the Director, the head of any Federal department or agency may detail, on a reimbursable basis, any of the personnel of that department or agency to the Joint Office to assist it in carrying out its duties under this Act.

(e)Contract authority

The Joint Office may contract with and compensate government and private agencies or persons for supplies and services.

(f)ConsultationIn carrying out its functions under this section, the Joint Office is encouraged to consult with and share relevant data with the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Aeronautical and Space Agency, the United States Geological Survey, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

(g)Definitions

For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:

(1)Joint OfficeThe term Joint Office means the Joint Office of the Fire Environment Center established under subsection (a)(1).

(2)BoardThe term Board means the Board of the Joint Office established by subsection (c).

(3)DirectorThe term Director means the Director of the Joint Office required by subsection (d).

(h)Authorization of appropriationsThere is authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to carry out this section $150,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2035.

406.Interagency Data Collaboration Environment (Report Recommendation 107)

(a)Expansion of information systemNot later than a 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the United States Fire Administration shall expand the National Emergency Response Information System to include real-time information and analytics tools relating to prescribed fires as well as wildfires that do not impact structures and infrastructure. The expansion of this system shall be compatible with, and shared with, existing wildland fire information collection at the Fire Environment Center established under section 405.

(b)Wildfire Digital Data Center

(1)Creation

The Administrator of the United States Fire Administration shall create a data center to be known as the Wildfire Digital Data Center. The Wildfire Digital Data Center shall be a public, government, scientific research data catalog and repository available to assist the wildfire communities research and share data.

(2)Data and modeling collaboration environment

The Wildfire Digital Data Center shall provide a data and modeling collaboration environment for researchers across the wildfire community to engage with data across agencies and disciplines.

(3)Open access

The Administrator shall ensure that the Wildfire Digital Data Center is in compliance with the guidance on public access policies as specified in the Memorandum from the Office of Science and Technology Policy of the Executive Office of the President that was issued on August 25, 2022.

(4)Information to be included in Wildfire Digital Data Center repository

The Wildfire Digital Data Center shall include in its repository information on the following areas:

(A)

Outcomes and impacts of wildfire and associated management actions.

(B)

Real-time data on new fire starts.

(C)

The effectiveness of wildfire risk mitigation measures.

(D)

Public health research related to wildland fire and fires in the built environment.

(5)Information to be included on websiteThe Administrator of the United States Fire Administration shall coordinate with the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, to include on the publicly accessible website of the Wildfire Digital Data Center—

(A)

information on postwildfire impacts and State and Federal programs and funding opportunities to address such impacts;

(B)

State and Federal best practices relating to the short- and long-term mitigation of wildfire; and

(C)

with respect to wildfire, information on ecological recovery, assessment science, and State and Federal emergency declaration processes.

(6)Rule of construction

Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect the ownership of individual agencies over their data sources.

(c)Findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable requirement

(1)Access requirement for U.S. Department of the Interior Library along with the National Emergency Training Center Library and National Forest Service Library

Through the Wildfire Digital Data Center, the U.S. Department of the Interior Library along with the National Emergency Training Center Library and National Forest Service Library shall provide services to make federally funded wildland and structural fire research data systems and data products findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (FAIR).

(2)The services required by subparagraph (A) shall be integrated with the National Emergency Response Information System of the United States Fire Administration to better collect data and model the built environment.

(d)Authorization of appropriationsThere is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2035.

407.Requirements related to payment timing for certain programs addressing wildfire damages (Report Recommendation 61)

(a)Emergency forest restoration programSection 407(b) of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2206) is amended—

(1)

by striking The and inserting the following:

(1)In generalThe

; and

(2)

by adding at the end the following:

(2)Payments for emergency measures to address wildfireIn the case of an application for a payment by an owner of nonindustrial private forest land who carries out emergency measures to restore the land after the land is damaged by a wildfire, if the Secretary approves such application, the Secretary shall provide payment to such owner not later than 90 days after the date on which the application was submitted to the Secretary.

(b)Emergency watershed programSection 403 of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2203) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(c)Payments for emergency watershed protection measures To address wildfire damageIn the case of an application for a payment for emergency watershed protection measures addressing a sudden impairment of a watershed caused by a wildfire, if the Secretary approves such application, the Secretary shall provide such payment not later than 90 days after the date on which the application was submitted to the Secretary.

(c)Community facilities direct loan and grant programs

(1)Direct loan program

Section 306(a)(1) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926(a)(19)) is amended by adding at the end the following: If the Secretary approves an application for an essential community facilities loan under this paragraph that is submitted by an owner of nonindustrial private forest land (as defined in section 407 of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978) who carries out emergency measures (as defined in such section) to restore the land after the land is damaged by a wildfire and the Secretary approves the application, the Secretary shall provide the loan to the owner within 90 days after date the application is submitted.

(2)Grant program

Section 306(a)(19) of such Act (7 U.S.C. 1926(a)(19)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(C)Payments for emergency measures to address wildfireIf the Secretary approves an application for a grant under this paragraph that is submitted by an owner of nonindustrial private forest land (as defined in section 407 of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978) who carries out emergency measures (as defined in such section) to restore the land after the land is damaged by a wildfire and the Secretary approves the application, the Secretary shall provide the grant to the owner within 90 days after date the application is submitted.

(d)Disaster relief and mitigation programsThe Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) is amended—

(1)in section 203, by adding at the end the following:

(m)Assistance for wildfire mitigationIf the President approves an application for financial assistance under this section to implement predisaster hazard mitigation measures related to the mitigation of wildfires, the President shall provide such assistance within 90 days after the date such application is submitted.

;

(2)

in section 404, by adding at the end the following:

(h)Assistance for wildfire mitigationIf the President approves an application for hazard mitigation assistance under this section that is related to the mitigation of wildfires, the President shall provide such assistance within 90 days after the date such application is submitted.

;

(3)in section 407(e), by adding at the end the following:

(3)Payments related to wildfireNotwithstanding the requirements of paragraphs (1) and (2), if the President approves an application for a grant under this section to remove debris or wreckage resulting from a wildfire, such grant shall be paid in full no later than the date that is 90 days after the last day such wildfire occurred.

(4)in section 408—

(A)

by redesignating subsections (i) and (j) as subsections (j) and (k), respectively; and

(B)

by inserting after subsection (h) the following:

(i)Payments related to wildfireIf the President approves an application for financial assistance under this section for necessary expenses or serious needs related to a wildfire, the President shall provide such assistance within 90 days after the last day such wildfire occurred.

(e)Small Business Administration disaster loan programThe Small Business Administration Disaster Loan program under Section 7(b) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 636(b)) is amended—

(1)by redesignating the second paragraph (16) (relating to statute of limitations) as paragraph (17); and

(2)

by inserting after paragraph (17) (as so redesignated), the following new paragraph:

(18)Emergency measures to address wildfireIf the Administrator approves an application for a loan under this subsection that is submitted by an owner of nonindustrial private forest land (as defined in section 407 of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978) who carries out emergency measures (as defined in such section) to restore the land after the land is damaged by a wildfire, the Administrator shall ensure that such loan is disbursed not later than 90 days after date of such approval.

HR 1923

Bill overview

Key provisions

Sponsors

Primary sponsor

Cosponsors

Positions across the country

Arguments in favor

Arguments opposed

Bill text

Who is affected

Notable changes

Fiscal impact

Positions across the country