Wildfire Emergency Preparedness Act

Summary#

The Wildfire Emergency Preparedness Act of 2025 would set up new training, coordination, research, and grant programs to help structural firefighters respond to wildfires and fires in the wildland-urban interface. It would require the U.S. Forest Service to publish a national training plan within one year and allow competitive grants to nonprofits to run training programs that follow that plan. The bill would create a new Under Secretary of Agriculture for Fire Coordination (presidential appointment with Senate confirmation) to advise on and coordinate wildfire preparedness and response across federal, state, and local governments. It would allow Department of Defense firefighters to assist on wildfires when requested and reimbursed, and require the Defense Department to report to Congress on barriers to such assistance.

The bill also would add a firefighter health and safety research program at NIOSH to study respiratory health and PFAS and other carcinogens in fire-affected areas and equipment, with annual reports to Congress. It would add mental health assistance criteria for disaster task forces, including peer-support training and inclusion of mental health practitioners. The Secretary of Agriculture could award competitive grants directly to fire departments and nonaffiliated EMS organizations for protective equipment and wildfire training, with per-recipient caps based on population. The bill requires reports to Congress about local training and obstacles to coordination, and it requires that a national labor organization representing state and local firefighters be given a seat on two national wildfire coordination bodies.

What it means for you#

• Fire departments and EMS: Could apply for direct grants for protective gear and wildfire training. Maximum grant amounts are set by the bill based on the jurisdiction population. Eligible fire departments would use funds for PPE and training for wildfire response.
• Nonprofit training providers: Nonprofits with specific curriculum and training experience could compete for Forest Service grants to deliver structural firefighter training that follows the national plan.
• Firefighters: The bill creates new training standards, research on respiratory and chemical exposures (including PFAS), and mental health criteria for task forces, which could affect training, equipment, and support services available to responders.
• Federal agencies: The Department of Defense may provide firefighting assistance when a qualified agency requests it and reimburses costs. The Department of Agriculture would get a new Under Secretary role to coordinate wildfire efforts.
• Local communities: The bill directs reports to Congress about how well local providers train for wildfires, and it aims to improve coordination across federal, state, and local levels.

Expenses#

The bill authorizes specific funding amounts in the text:

• Training grants under the Forest Service: $5,000,000 per year for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2031. Up to 2.5% of each year’s amount may be used for technical assistance. Funds may be carried over until expended.
• NIOSH firefighter health and safety research: $20,000,000 per year for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2031.
• Mental health assistance grants (Stafford Act amendment): allows the Administrator to obligate and expend up to $10,000,000 per year for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2031 from amounts authorized to carry out that section.
• Supplemental firefighter assistance grants: $100,000,000 authorized for fiscal year 2026 for direct grants to fire departments and nonaffiliated EMS organizations.

Other fiscal notes in the bill text: the Secretary of Defense must be reimbursed for costs when DoD firefighters assist at the request of a qualified agency head, and the bill allows the Secretary of Agriculture to waive an aggregate grant limit in certain extraordinary cases.

Proponents' View#

No publicly available information.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.