Western Wildfire Support Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Senator Catherine Cortez Masto
Introduced
Summary
Strengthen wildfire preparedness, detection, and long-term recovery on Federal land. This bill would push fireshed-based planning, speed deployment of detection and drone technology, create permanent post-fire response teams, and set up a Long-Term Burned Area Rehabilitation account.
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- Communities: People living near wildfire-prone areas would get permanent Burned Area Emergency Response teams for immediate stabilization and recovery work that operate for up to one year after containment. The bill also creates a rehabilitation account to fund longer-term restoration and repairs.
- State, local, and Tribal responders: Requires reciprocal mutual-aid and DoD reimbursement for fires started by military training and expands Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act assistance for slip-on tanker units to include Indian Tribes and local governments.
- Technology and research community: Directs faster deployment of sensors, cameras, satellite data, and UAV testing. It funds research on unmanned aircraft system fire uses and studies on drone incursions, radio communications, situational awareness tools, and predictive modeling.
- Federal land managers: Mandates fireshed-level strategic wildland fire policies with updates within one year after a fire and at least every 10 years. It also standardizes annual Wildland Fire Management reporting and defines a "catastrophic wildfire" by criteria such as burning 100,000 acres or costing $50 million or more to suppress.
*Authorizes appropriations up to $100 million per year for the Long-Term Burned Area Rehabilitation account beginning in fiscal year 2025.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
7 provisions identified: 7 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Clearer wildfire reporting rules
If enacted, the bill would define "catastrophic wildfire" for reporting and require annual, detailed Wildland Fire Management spending reports. A fire would be "catastrophic" only if it used Federal firefighting resources and met acreage/severity and consequence thresholds, including $50 million or more in suppression costs, destruction of a primary residence, or at least one direct death. Reports would break down costs into ground operations, aircraft, personnel, support, and administrative categories and analyze each catastrophic incident.
Faster post-fire recovery help
If enacted, the bill would create standing BAER teams to stabilize burned land within 180 days and for up to one year after containment. It would create a long-term rehabilitation Treasury account for USDA with up to $100 million authorized per year starting FY2025 for restoration, watershed work, and repairing land-management infrastructure. The Secretary could partner with non-Federal groups that pay no more than 20% of project costs. FEMA could also help states fund or run state-specific websites listing recovery funds and mitigation guidance, updated at least every 180 days.
Fireshed planning and mapping rules
If enacted, the bill would require Interior and Agriculture to review and update spatial fire-management policies for each "fireshed" and issue new or revised policies by Sept. 30, 2026. Plans must use best available science, list risks to people and infrastructure, coordinate with States on operational locations, and be updated after fires and at least every 10 years. The bill also requires an employee involved in spatial policy development to join resource management plan teams.
Modernize detection and response
If enacted, the bill would speed placement of sensors, cameras, satellites, and drone use for earlier fire detection and ease permitting for that equipment. It would expand eligibility for IIJA slip-on tanker unit grants to include Indian Tribes, add mobilization and training guidance, and require Interior to report on purchases and barriers by Oct 1, 2026 (reporting ends Oct 1, 2028). The bill would fund UAS research through the Joint Fire Science Program and authorize testing with the FAA. It would also require studies of drone incursions and of radio, mapping, and predictive-model improvements to guide future upgrades.
DoD must reimburse states
If enacted, the bill would require the Department of Defense to seek mutual-aid agreements that provide reimbursement to State agencies when fires are caused by military training or planned DoD actions. Reimbursements would cover only costs directly attributable to the fire and must be requested with itemized cost documentation. Payments would come from DoD operation and maintenance funds. Existing agreements would qualify if they meet these rules.
Study to integrate local firefighters
If enacted, the bill would direct DHS (through the U.S. Fire Administration) to study training gaps and coordination practices for structural firefighters in high wildfire-risk areas and report to Congress within one year. The report must list current coordination, training modules or gaps, and estimate the cost to address gaps. Results would inform future training and coordination efforts.
Prize and research for wildfire tech
If enacted, the bill would create a time-limited prize competition to spur tools for managing invasive species after wildfires and set up an advisory board and judges. It would also direct R&D on drones for wildfire response through the Joint Fire Science Program and allow testing with the FAA. Prize and research funding would depend on available appropriations and the prize program would end on December 31, 2028.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Catherine Cortez Masto
NV • D
Cosponsors
Tim Sheehy
MT • R
Sponsored 1/14/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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