Legislative Activity

The Wildfire Emergency Act of 2025 addresses wildfire risk through three main avenues: establishing a novel financing pilot program to accelerate large-scale forest restoration, increasing community resilience through infrastructure hardening and home weatherization updates, and building capacity via new research centers and workforce development grants. This comprehensive bill seeks to leverage private investment for ecological work while simultaneously making communities safer and developing the necessary skilled workforce for future mitigation efforts.

The Fire-Safe Electrical Corridors Act of 2025 streamlines vegetation management for electrical utilities operating on National Forest System land by allowing them to remove hazardous trees near power lines without a separate timber sale. The bill ensures that if utilities sell any removed vegetation, the proceeds—minus transportation costs—are remitted to the U.S. Forest Service. This legislation aims to improve fire safety while maintaining environmental compliance and fiscal accountability.

The Improving Atmospheric River Forecasts Act establishes a dedicated program to enhance the accuracy and effectiveness of atmospheric river forecasting and warnings. By integrating advanced modeling, innovative data collection, and air reconnaissance, the initiative aims to reduce the loss of life and property caused by extreme weather. The Act also prioritizes the transition of research into operational tools and improves public communication strategies to better prepare communities for these high-impact events.

The Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act of 2025 establishes permanent, specialized base pay rates for federal wildland firefighters to replace expiring temporary salary increases. The bill also introduces a new incident response premium pay for those deployed to fire incidents and mandates paid rest and recuperation leave to support firefighter well-being. These measures aim to provide long-term financial stability and improved working conditions for the federal wildland firefighting workforce.

The Fire Suppression and Response Funding Assurance Act establishes a federal cost-share floor of 75% for fire management assistance and mandates the creation of clear criteria for increasing federal support during emergencies. Additionally, the bill directs FEMA to update its policies to allow for the reimbursement of state, local, and tribal governments for the predeployment of domestic fire-suppression assets.