Summary#
This bill would put into law many recommendations from the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission (September 2023). It would create new training programs and grants for people who fight or support wildland fires. It would change some retirement and job rules for certain federal and Tribal wildland firefighters. The bill would create a national smoke monitoring and alert system and require a health risk study and best practices for worker exposure to wildfire smoke. It would fund new mapping, data, and technology efforts, including a Joint Office of the Fire Environment Center and a Wildfire Digital Data Center. The bill would also change FEMA and other disaster programs, and require faster payments for some wildfire recovery and mitigation claims.
What it means for you#
- More training and education programs for people who work on wildfires, including community colleges and local academies.
- New public smoke alerts and more air quality monitors to give real-time information about wildfire smoke.
- New maps and data tools to show wildfire risk in wildlands and built areas.
- A new joint Federal office to share models, forecasts, and decision tools with managers, firefighters, and public health officials.
- Changes to retirement credit rules that may affect federal wildland firefighters who have breaks in service.
- Faster required payments (often within 90 days) for certain emergency restoration, watershed, loan, grant, and mitigation programs when damage is from wildfire.
Expenses#
- Middle Fire Leaders Academy: authorized $10,000,000 for each fiscal year 2026 through 2035.
- Wildfire workforce grant program (Education): authorized $10,000,000 for each fiscal year 2026 through 2035.
- Wildland Fire Management Casualty Assistance Program: authorized $1,000,000 for each fiscal year 2026 through 2035.
- National Smoke Monitoring and Alert System and related EPA/AirNow work: authorized $32,000,000 for each fiscal year 2026 through 2035.
- Health risk assessment (NIOSH) for wildfire smoke exposure: authorized $1,000,000 for each fiscal year 2026 through 2028.
- Wildland Dynamic Risk Mapping Program (NOAA): authorized $15,000,000 for each fiscal year 2026 through 2030.
- Joint Office of the Fire Environment Center (NOAA): authorized $150,000,000 for each fiscal year 2026 through 2035.
- Interagency data and Wildfire Digital Data Center: authorized $15,000,000 for each fiscal year 2026 through 2035.
- For other sections that amend existing programs or change administrative rules, the bill either makes no new appropriations or states "No additional funds" where noted.
- No publicly available information on an official total federal budget estimate or measured long-term cost beyond these authorizations.
Proponents' View#
No publicly available information.
Opponents' View#
No publicly available information.