National Prescribed Fire Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- S. 2015
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Public Lands and Natural Resources
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-12-17: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
- Last Updated
- 2026-03-24T12:48:03Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The National Prescribed Fire Act of 2025 aims to promote and increase the use of prescribed fire—a planned, controlled burn to manage vegetation and reduce wildfire risks—on federal lands managed by the Department of the Interior (such as Bureau of Land Management areas) and the U.S. Forest Service (part of the Department of Agriculture). It emphasizes regions like the western and southeastern United States, particularly National Forest System units. The act also recognizes and supports traditional "cultural burning" practices by Indian Tribes and Indigenous communities, which use fire for ecological and cultural purposes. Overall, it seeks to address wildfire risks, restore ecosystems, and improve coordination among federal, state, tribal, and local partners.
Key Provisions
The act is structured into three titles, focusing on funding, implementation support, and reporting.
Title I: Use of Funds
- Definition and Funding Flexibility: Defines "prescribed fire" as a deliberate burn under controlled conditions to meet resource goals (excluding pile burning, which is burning stacked debris). Allows up to 15% of annual funds for hazardous fuels management (Forest Service) or wildland fire management/post-fire activities (Interior) to be redirected toward prescribed fire efforts. Eligible activities include contracts, grants to states/tribes/locals/nonprofits for burns (including environmental reviews and surveys), public outreach, training, post-burn monitoring, and technical assistance.
- Prioritization: Requires coordination with states, tribes, and nonprofits to prioritize projects that are large-scale, cross-boundary, in high-risk wildfire areas (e.g., wildland-urban interfaces), protect tribal resources, or support ecological restoration. Special focus on areas with critical habitat or strategic fire zones.
- Acreage Increase and Strategy: Mandates a 10% annual increase in prescribed fire acreage on federal lands for 10 years starting after enactment. Requires regional operational strategies outlining fire deficits (areas needing more burns) and staffing/funding needs.
- Collaborative Prescribed Fire Program: Establishes a program to fund up to 20 projects per year (capped at $20 million total annually, $1 million per project, for up to 10 years). Projects must align with landscape restoration strategies (at least 50,000 acres, collaborative, science-based, focused on wildfire resilience and old-growth forests), include economic benefits like local jobs/training, and meet environmental laws (e.g., Endangered Species Act, National Environmental Policy Act or NEPA—a law requiring assessment of environmental impacts). Selection prioritizes strong collaboration, risk reduction, and non-federal funding leverage. Includes annual project reporting and a 5-year program evaluation.
Title II: Facilitating Implementation and Outreach
- Cooperative Agreements and Contracts: Authorizes 10-year agreements with states, tribes, counties, fire districts, nonprofits, or private entities to plan/conduct prescribed fires on federal lands, including subcontracts. Ensures compliance with laws and land plans.
- Human Resources Enhancements:
- Hazard pay for federal employees involved in igniting/managing burns.
- Report on incentives to retain skilled workers (e.g., offsetting suppression job pay).
- Creation of regional task forces with federal/non-federal members to coordinate cross-boundary burns.
- Non-competitive conversion of qualified seasonal firefighters to permanent roles focused on prescribed fires.
- Pathways for formerly incarcerated individuals (non-violent, non-arson offenses) and veterans to train/work as burn practitioners, including dedicated veteran crews.
- Support for underutilized employees (e.g., through mentorship).
- New training centers in each fire coordination region, plus an Indigenous-led center operated by tribes.
- Adjusts certification requirements to value prescribed fire experience more, reducing time to supervisory roles.
- Improves integration of non-federal practitioners into federal systems for ordering/reimbursement.
- Liability Protections: Provides voluntary training on protections for federal/tribal employees. Treats non-federal partners (under federal supervision and agreements) as "federal employees" for tort claims (lawsuits for harm) under the Federal Tort Claims Act, with guidance and funding for reimbursements. Does not limit existing immunities.
- Environmental Review and Smoke Management:
- Coordinates with EPA and air quality agencies to streamline "exceptional event" approvals under the Clean Air Act (allows air quality standard exceedances from unavoidable events like prescribed fires if they follow smoke management plans and benefit ecosystems).
- Develops tools for smoke prediction, public alerts, mitigation strategies, and emission tracking.
- Requires landscape-scale prescribed fire plans (broad NEPA documents covering large areas to avoid repeated reviews) for forest units and BLM districts within 2 years, developed collaboratively with tribes and others.
- Annual progress reports to Congress.
- Education Program: Launches a national campaign on fire ecology and prescribed fire benefits, using ads, social media, and materials to inform the public and landowners.
Title III: Reporting
- Database Reporting: Provides funds to states for reporting prescribed fire accomplishments (e.g., acres treated to reduce wildfire risk) to the National Fire Planning and Operations Database. States not reporting by year-end lose eligibility for act funds.
- Annual Implementation Reports: Secretaries submit yearly updates to congressional committees on all activities.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Funding Reallocation: Newly allows up to 15% of existing hazardous fuels and wildland fire funds to support prescribed fires, grants, and partnerships—previously more restricted.
- Mandatory Acreage Growth: Introduces a binding 10% annual increase in treated acres, with regional strategies to address fire deficits, which lacks prior mandates.
- Collaborative Program: Creates a new dedicated funding mechanism for large-scale, collaborative projects, with caps and sunset provisions.
- Workforce and Liability Expansions: Adds hazard pay, permanent conversions, and targeted hiring (e.g., for veterans/incarcerated individuals); extends Federal Tort Claims Act protections to non-federal cooperators for the first time in this context.
- Environmental Streamlining: Enables landscape-scale NEPA plans to cover broad areas, reducing project-by-project reviews; eases Clean Air Act exceptional event processes for prescribed fires if they meet basic standards.
- Tribal and Cultural Support: Explicitly mandates consultation and an Indigenous-led training center, building on but expanding tribal involvement in federal fire management.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Departments of Interior and Agriculture gain funding flexibility and tools to scale up prescribed fires, potentially reducing future wildfire suppression costs (e.g., through risk reduction and ecosystem restoration). Increases administrative burdens for reporting, planning, and coordination but provides workforce incentives to address shortages. EPA and air agencies may see more streamlined smoke approvals, aiding compliance.
- Citizens: Could lower wildfire threats in high-risk areas (e.g., near communities), improving safety and property protection. Enhances public health via better smoke management and education, though short-term smoke exposure remains a concern. Local economies benefit from jobs/training in fire management. Formerly incarcerated individuals and veterans gain employment opportunities.
- International Relations: No direct impacts; focuses on domestic land management.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Federal Agencies: Department of the Interior (e.g., Bureau of Land Management), U.S. Forest Service, EPA (for air quality), and Office of Personnel Management (for pay regulations).
- Tribal and Indigenous Groups: Indian Tribes and practitioners, who gain support for cultural burning, consultation rights, and a dedicated training center.
- State, Local, and Non-Federal Entities: States, counties, fire districts, nonprofits, prescribed fire councils/associations, and private landowners, eligible for grants, agreements, and liability protections.
- Federal Employees and Workforce: Firefighters and managers, benefiting from pay, training, and career paths.
- Communities and Public: Residents in wildfire-prone areas (especially wildland-urban interfaces in western/southeastern U.S.), who face reduced risks but need smoke mitigation; general public via education.
- Environmental/Conservation Groups: Involved in collaborative projects, habitat restoration, and old-growth protection.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Expands liability under the Federal Tort Claims Act to non-federal partners, potentially reducing lawsuits but requiring new guidance and reimbursements. Streamlines NEPA and Endangered Species Act compliance through landscape plans, accelerating projects while maintaining environmental safeguards. Aligns with Clean Air Act by clarifying "exceptional events" for prescribed fires, promoting their use without penalties if managed properly.
- Constitutional: Reinforces tribal sovereignty via government-to-government consultation and support for cultural practices, consistent with treaty rights and trust responsibilities. No apparent conflicts with due process or property rights.
- Political: Bipartisan sponsorship (Sens. Wyden and Budd) highlights consensus on wildfire mitigation amid climate change. Emphasizes equity (e.g., hiring marginalized groups) and collaboration, potentially bridging urban-rural divides. Could influence future appropriations for fire management, with reporting ensuring accountability to Congress.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (5)
Sen. Budd, Ted [R-NC], Sen. Curtis, John R. [R-UT], Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA], Sen. Scott, Rick [R-FL], Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]
Recent Actions
- 2025-12-17: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
- 2025-06-10: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- 2025-06-10: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- National Prescribed Fire Act of 2025 — issued 2025-06-10 — PDF (39 pages)