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Title 16 — ConservationRelease 119-73

§551c Planning for fire protection

Title 16 › Chapter CHAPTER 3— - FORESTS; FOREST SERVICE; REFORESTATION; MANAGEMENT › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - GENERAL PROVISIONS › § 551c

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior must offer yearly training to certify volunteer firefighters for use on National Forest, National Park, and BLM lands when the responsible Secretary says volunteers are needed. They should use existing authorities, look at schools and other groups that can give the training, and tap those who can help. "Educational institutions" includes schools set up under the Morrill Act (July 2, 1862) and the Second Morrill Act (August 30, 1890). Within one year after May 9, 1990, the Secretary of Agriculture must send Congress information about each National Forest region, and the Secretary of the Interior must send information about BLM lands by State and about each National Park region. Those reports must list presuppression needs for each area and give estimates of funds needed for fire prevention, fuel reduction, training, and seasonal fire crews.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §551c

Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior shall annually offer training programs to certify volunteers for suppressing forest fires on National Forest System lands, National Park System lands and Bureau of Land Management public lands in the event that the appropriate Secretary determines that such volunteers are needed. In carrying out this subsection, the Secretaries should utilize existing authorities to train volunteer firefighters for use in fire emergencies. The Secretaries should assess the capabilities of educational institutions and other public and private organizations to provide such training programs.
(b)For the purposes of this section, the term “educational institutions” shall include institutions established pursuant to the Act of July 2, 1862 (7 U.S.C. 301 et seq., commonly known as the “Morrill Act”), or the Act of August 30, 1890 (7 U.S.C. 321 et seq., commonly known as the “Second Morrill Act”).
(c)Not later than one year after May 9, 1990—
(1)the Secretary of Agriculture shall submit to the Congress information with respect to regions of the National Forest System, and
(2)the Secretary of the Interior shall submit to the Congress information with respect to the Bureau of Land Management public lands on a State-by-State basis and each region of the National Park System
(d)Not later than one year after May 9, 1990, information from the Secretary of Agriculture on presuppression needs for each region of the National Forest System and information from the Secretary of the Interior on the presuppression needs for each region of the National Park System and for each State unit of the Bureau of Land Management shall be submitted to Congress. These reports shall include needs, including an estimate of the funds required, for fire prevention, fuel reduction, training and seasonal fire crews.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Act of
July 2, 1862, referred to in subsec. (b), is act
July 2, 1862, ch. 130, 12 Stat. 503, popularly known as the Morrill Act and also as the First Morrill Act, which is classified generally to subchapter I (§ 301 et seq.) of chapter 13 of Title 7, Agriculture. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 301 of Title 7 and Tables. Act of August 30, 1890, referred to in subsec. (b), is act Aug. 30, 1890, ch. 841, 26 Stat. 417, popularly known as the Agricultural College Act of 1890 and also as the Second Morrill Act, which is classified generally to subchapter II (§ 321 et seq.) of chapter 13 of Title 7. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 321 of Title 7 and Tables.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Forest Service Large Airtanker and Aerial Asset Firefighting Recapitalization Pilot Program Pub. L. 113–79, title VIII, § 8305, Feb. 7, 2014, 128 Stat. 925, provided that: “(a) In General.—Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary [of Agriculture], acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, may establish a large airtanker and aerial asset lease program in accordance with this section. “(b) Aircraft Requirements.—In carrying out the program described in subsection (a), the Secretary may enter into a multiyear lease contract for up to 5 aircraft that meet the criteria—“(1) described in the Forest Service document entitled ‘Large Airtanker Modernization Strategy’ and dated
February 10, 2012, for large airtankers; and “(2) determined by the Secretary, for other aerial assets. “(c) Lease Terms.—The term of any individual lease agreement into which the Secretary enters under this section shall be—“(1) up to 5 years, inclusive of any options to renew or extend the initial lease term; and “(2) in accordance with section 3903 of title 41, United States Code. “(d) Prohibition.—No lease entered into under this section shall provide for the purchase of the aircraft by, or the transfer of ownership to, the Forest Service.” Forest Firefighting Planning and Cooperation; Findings Pub. L. 101–286, title II, § 201,
May 9, 1990, 104 Stat. 174, provided that: “The Congress finds that— “(1) it is in the best interest of the Nation to take swift action to rehabilitate burned forests, and an assessment of the situation is necessary to accomplish this; and “(2) volunteers should be trained to assist where possible.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

16 U.S.C. § 551c

Title 16 — Conservation

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73