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119-hr-6154119th CongressWALLET

Regional Leadership in Wildland Fire Research Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Representative Min, Dave [D-CA-47]

In Committee

Summary

Regional wildland fire research centers would be created and coordinated by a National Center Coordination Board to align research, share interoperable data, and speed adoption of predictive models and technologies for managers and firefighters.

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  • Researchers and institutions: Colleges, land-grant and minority-serving universities, tribal colleges, National Laboratories, and similar partners could host centers across 8 regions and access federal funding for research, construction, and equipment.
  • Fire managers and frontline crews: Centers would develop and validate predictive models, near-real-time decision-support tools, smoke and vegetation forecasts, and technologies aimed at reducing fire severity and improving firefighter safety.
  • Federal, state, and public coordination: A National Center Coordination Board would harmonize data protocols so data are findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable, coordinate with agencies like EPA, NOAA, NSF, NASA, DOE, and USGS, meet quarterly, and hold annual public meetings in each state within a region.

*Authorizes about $60 million in FY2026 rising to $64 million in FY2030 for regional centers, plus $1 million per year for the Board, totaling roughly $315 million in appropriations through FY2030 and increasing federal spending over that period.*

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Board, advisory panels, and reporting

If enacted, the bill would create a National Center Coordination Board with one representative from each regional center, and the Administrator and the Forest Service Chief would serve as Co-Chairs. The Board would meet quarterly, hold at least one public meeting each year in each State covered by a region, set data and research priorities, and help get new tools into operational use. Each regional center would have a Regional Advisory Board with required agency, State, and Tribal representatives and a nominated subcommittee of up to 15 stakeholders; advisory boards would meet quarterly and serve without pay. The Secretaries, in consultation with the Board, would report to Congress on center progress and recommendations not later than 2 years and 4 years after enactment.

Federal funding for regional centers

If enacted, the bill would authorize funding for regional wildland fire research centers of $60 million for FY2026, $61 million for FY2027, $62 million for FY2028, $63 million for FY2029, and $64 million for FY2030. It would also authorize $1 million per year for FY2026–FY2030 for a National Center Coordination Board. Centers could use the money for research, equipment, and construction, and federal science agencies could transfer extra appropriations to centers. The Secretaries could move funds between centers for regional needs, but fiscal-year changes must be shown in the President's budget justification and noticed to Congress.

New regional research centers and duties

If enacted, the bill would require the Secretaries to pick at least eight colleges or universities to host regional wildland fire research centers, with at least one center in each named region (Alaska; California; Pacific Northwest; Pacific Islands; Plains and Northeast; Rockies; Southeast; Southwest). The Secretaries must prioritize schools that already do fire research, have existing federal or academic partnerships, lead or join the Joint Fire Science Program, or are minority-serving institutions. Subject to funding, not fewer than two pilot centers must start as soon as practicable, and the remaining centers must be set up within two years of the pilot. Each center would do applied research, build predictive models and near-real-time tools for fire and smoke, follow FAIR data rules, support technology adoption by managers, and run career-pathway and prescribed-fire training programs.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Min, Dave [D-CA-47]

CA • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Evans, Gabe [R-CO-8]

    CO • R

    Sponsored 11/19/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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