Western Wildfire Support Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- H.R. 5782
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Emergency Management
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-12-05: Referred to the Subcommittee on Forestry and Horticulture.
- Last Updated
- 2026-05-16T08:07:05Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The Western Wildfire Support Act of 2025 aims to strengthen federal efforts in managing wildfires, particularly in the western United States. It focuses on improving preparation, detection and suppression, and post-fire recovery to reduce risks to communities, infrastructure, and natural resources, while promoting transparency, innovation, and coordination among agencies.
Key Provisions
The bill is organized into three titles, addressing different stages of wildfire management.
Title I: Preparation
- Firefighting Account Transparency (Sec. 101): Requires annual reports on federal wildland fire management spending, including details on catastrophic wildfires (defined as those burning at least 50,000–100,000 acres with high severity, costing $50 million or more in suppression, or causing deaths/destruction of homes). Reports must break down costs by ground operations, aircraft, personnel, support, and administrative expenses.
- Reimbursement for Wildfires Caused by Military Training (Sec. 102): Directs the Department of Defense (DOD) to enter reciprocal agreements with states for mutual fire aid, reimbursing states for suppression costs from DOD-caused fires (e.g., training). Reimbursements come from DOD operations funds and are limited to direct costs.
- Strategic Wildland Fire Management Planning (Sec. 103): Mandates review and update of fire policies for "firesheds" (geographic areas where fires could threaten homes or infrastructure) by September 30, 2026, using science-based tools. Policies must identify risks, align with land management plans, and be updated after fires or every 10 years. Involves state coordination and inclusion of fire experts in planning teams.
- Study on Integrating Local Firefighters (Sec. 104): Requires the Department of Homeland Security (via the U.S. Fire Administration) to study training gaps for local structural firefighters in wildfire-prone areas, including coordination with federal teams, response differences, and National Fire Academy modules. Includes a cost plan to address gaps, with a report due within one year.
Title II: Wildfire Detection and Suppression Support
- Wildfire Detection Equipment (Sec. 201): Instructs the Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture to expedite installation of sensors, cameras, and satellite tech for early detection; speed up permits; use drones for initial assessments; review procurement for innovative tools; and host annual forums for tech developers.
- Slip-On Tanker Units (Sec. 202): Expands a pilot program under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to include Indian Tribes for funding portable water tanks on trucks. Requires annual reports (through 2028) on purchases, requests, and barriers. Promotes integration into federal response systems with training guidance.
- Research and Development of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) for Fire Applications (Sec. 203): Authorizes the Joint Fire Science Program to partner with universities for UAS (drone) R&D in wildfire response, including testing at FAA-approved sites. Funds are authorized as needed.
- Study on Drone Incursions (Sec. 204): Directs the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), with input from Interior and Agriculture, to study private drone interference in wildfire zones over the past five years, assessing impacts on suppression time, costs, and aerial operations. Evaluates prevention options like counter-drone tech or education; report due in 18 months.
- Study on Modernizing Wildfire Response Technologies (Sec. 205): Requires assessment of radio communications reliability, real-time mapping tools for interoperability, and AI-enhanced fire prediction models. Includes cost/timeline analyses; results due and publicly available within one year.
Title III: Post-Fire Recovery Support
- Funding for Online Guides for Post-Disaster Assistance (Sec. 301): Amends the Stafford Disaster Relief Act to fund state-managed websites providing recovery info (e.g., funding sources, mitigation guides for hazards like post-fire flooding). Sites must update every 180 days and involve federal agencies like FEMA and HUD.
- Post-Fire Management and Recovery (Sec. 302): Establishes permanent Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Teams for immediate post-fire actions like hazard tree removal, erosion control, invasive species prevention, and public alerts. Teams operate up to one year after fire containment, funded via existing infrastructure law provisions.
- Long-Term Burned Area Rehabilitation Account (Sec. 303): Creates a Treasury account (up to $100 million annually from FY2025) for USDA to fund ecosystem restoration (e.g., reforestation, watershed repair) and infrastructure fixes on federal lands (and some non-federal) for up to five years post-fire. Prioritizes water resource impacts; allows cost-sharing agreements with non-federal partners (up to 20% non-federal share); requires annual reports starting FY2027.
- Prize for Wildfire-Related Invasive Species Reduction (Sec. 304): Amends the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation Act to establish the "Theodore Roosevelt Genius Prize" under the National Invasive Species Council. Awards annual prizes (up to 2028) for innovative tech to manage post-wildfire invasives, with an advisory board of experts guiding topics and implementation. Includes reporting to Congress.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Amends the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 to expand wildfire cost reporting to all fiscal years and define "catastrophic" fires more clearly, with detailed cost breakdowns.
- Updates the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to include Indian Tribes in slip-on tanker funding and adds reporting/integration requirements.
- Modifies the Stafford Disaster Relief Act to explicitly include post-disaster assistance and fund state recovery websites.
- Revises the John D. Dingell, Jr. Act to add a new prize category for invasive species tech, with a dedicated advisory board terminating in 2028.
- Introduces new mandates like BAER Teams, a rehabilitation account, and DOD reimbursement protocols, building on laws like the Reciprocal Fire Protection Act without altering core frameworks.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Enhances coordination among Interior, Agriculture, DOD, FEMA, FAA, and Homeland Security, potentially reducing suppression costs through better tech and planning. Increases reporting burdens but improves accountability; authorizes new funding streams (e.g., $100M for rehabilitation).
- Citizens: Improves safety in wildfire-prone areas (e.g., western states) via faster detection, local training, and recovery resources like online guides and erosion control, potentially lowering property damage, health risks from smoke/invasives, and recovery times for individuals/communities.
- International Relations: Minimal direct impact, though tech R&D and satellite use could indirectly support global wildfire monitoring collaborations.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Federal Agencies: Departments of Interior (e.g., BLM, National Parks), Agriculture (e.g., Forest Service), Defense, Homeland Security (FEMA, Fire Administration), FAA, and the National Invasive Species Council.
- State, Local, and Tribal Governments: Benefit from reimbursements, training, funding for equipment/websites, and planning input; Indian Tribes gain explicit inclusion in programs.
- Firefighters and Responders: Local structural teams receive better integration/training; federal wildland crews get improved tools and policies.
- Communities and Citizens: Residents in firesheds (high-risk areas) see enhanced protection and recovery aid.
- Private Sector and Research Institutions: Tech developers, universities, and companies involved in drones, sensors, and invasives management can access forums, R&D funding, prizes, and testing opportunities.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Promotes administrative efficiency and interagency cooperation without overriding existing environmental laws (e.g., aligns with land management plans). New definitions (e.g., firesheds, catastrophic fires) provide clarity for implementation; studies and reports ensure evidence-based policy without mandating unfeasible actions.
- Constitutional: No major issues; respects federalism by involving states/Tribes in planning and funding, and adheres to appropriations processes (e.g., presidential budget requests).
- Political: Targets western wildfire challenges, potentially appealing to representatives from affected states (e.g., introduced by Rep. Neguse of Colorado). Encourages innovation via prizes/R&D, which could foster bipartisan support for climate-resilient policies, but may face scrutiny over funding levels and DOD liabilities.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Recent Actions
- 2025-12-05: Referred to the Subcommittee on Forestry and Horticulture.
- 2025-12-01: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
- 2025-10-17: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Armed Services, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Science, Space, and Technology, 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.
- 2025-10-17: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Armed Services, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Science, Space, and Technology, 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.
- 2025-10-17: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Armed Services, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Science, Space, and Technology, 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.
- 2025-10-17: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Armed Services, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Science, Space, and Technology, 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.
- 2025-10-17: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Armed Services, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Science, Space, and Technology, 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.
- 2025-10-17: Introduced in House
- 2025-10-17: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Western Wildfire Support Act of 2025 — issued 2025-10-17 — PDF (34 pages)