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119-s-2015119th CongressWALLET

National Prescribed Fire Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Senator Wyden, Ron [D-OR]

In Committee

Summary

Increase prescribed-fire acreage on Federal land while building training, liability protections, and smoke-management tools to reduce wildfire risk and support large, cross-boundary restoration projects.

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  • Communities near the Wildland-Urban Interface would benefit from prioritized projects and landscape planning aimed at reducing uncharacteristic wildfire risk. The bill sets a target to grow prescribed-fire acres by 10% year over year for nine fiscal years.
  • Federal and local fire workforces would get more training, permanent hiring pathways, hazard pay options, and new capacity. The text requires at least six multiparty task forces and at least five new training centers within two years.
  • Tribal nations and collaborative projects would see formal support for cultural burning and large-scale restorations. Collaborative projects must meet a landscape threshold of not less than 50,000 acres and a separate landscape-restoration program is capped at $20.0 million per fiscal year with reporting and sunset rules.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

6 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.

More training, jobs, and hazard pay

If enacted, the Secretaries would set up at least five regional prescribed-fire training centers within two years, including support for an Indigenous-led center, subject to appropriations. They would establish at least six multiparty task forces within 180 days to plan cross-boundary burns. Agencies would identify ways to convert seasonal firefighters to permanent jobs within one year and seek veteran and formerly incarcerated hiring pathways (excluding those convicted of arson or defined violent crimes). The bill would speed supervisor certification, allow hazard pay for certain federal prescribed-fire site work, and include nonfederal practitioners in resource ordering and reimbursement.

Liability protection for burn partners

If enacted, covered entities doing prescribed-fire work under federal supervision would be treated like federal employees for Federal Tort Claims Act purposes while working. The Secretaries must issue guidance within one year on contract terms to extend those protections. Beginning the first fiscal year after enactment, the Secretaries would request appropriations to reimburse the Treasury for any FTCA claims paid. The Secretaries and the Attorney General would also develop a voluntary liability-training course describing protections and limits.

New funding and large burn grants

If enacted, the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior could each use up to 15% of annual hazardous-fuels (and DOI post-fire) appropriations for prescribed-fire work. That money could pay for contracts, grants, NEPA reviews, training, monitoring, and Collaborative Prescribed Fire Program projects. The bill would create a Collaborative Prescribed Fire Program to fund landscape projects of at least 50,000 acres with 10-year treatment priorities and rules to avoid permanent roads. The Secretary could also enter cooperative agreements or contracts up to 10 years and allow States, Tribes, or counties to subcontract.

Better smoke science and air tools

If enacted, the Secretaries would work with EPA and CDC to fund research to improve smoke prediction models and public-facing smoke impact tools. EPA would coordinate with State, Tribal, and local air-quality and public-health agencies to provide data, modeling, imagery, and guidance to support exceptional event demonstrations for prescribed fire smoke. The agencies would also develop consistent PPE messaging and cost-effective community mitigation strategies to reduce smoke health impacts.

Mandatory 10% yearly prescribed-burn increase

If enacted, starting in the first fiscal year after enactment and for nine fiscal years after, federal agencies would have to treat at least 10% more federal acreage with prescribed fire each year than the prior year. The Secretaries must create region-specific operational strategies that quantify the acreage deficit and staff and funding needed to meet the targets.

State reporting and cost-share rules

If enacted, the Secretary could pay part of a State's cost to report prescribed-fire accomplishments to the national database, if Congress provides funds. States must submit an annual report to the National Fire Planning and Operations Database by December 31. A State that fails to report by December 31 would be ineligible to receive amounts under this Act for the previous fiscal year.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Wyden, Ron [D-OR]

OR • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Budd, Ted [R-NC]

    NC • R

    Sponsored 6/10/2025

  • Sen. Curtis, John R. [R-UT]

    UT • R

    Sponsored 9/9/2025

  • Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 9/9/2025

  • Sen. Scott, Rick [R-FL]

    FL • R

    Sponsored 12/10/2025

  • Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]

    DE • D

    Sponsored 12/10/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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