To require the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out activities to suppress wildfires, and for other purposes.
Sponsored By: Representative McClintock
In Committee
Summary
This bill would require rapid, mandatory wildfire suppression on high‑risk National Forest System lands. It would also restrict prescribed burns and backfires and tie covered areas to drought and wildfire‑risk metrics.
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- Forest Service leaders and crews would have to use all available resources to extinguish wildfires on covered lands within 24 hours of detection and to immediately suppress any prescribed fire that exceeds its prescription.
- State and local firefighting agencies authorized to respond would be protected from federal actions that inhibit their suppression efforts, preserving their ability to fight fires on those lands.
- Land managers would be limited to conducting prescribed fires that comply with law and regulations, and backfires or burnouts during wildfires could be started only by the incident commander or when needed to protect firefighter safety.
- Covered lands would be National Forest areas rated severe to exceptional drought by the U.S. Drought Monitor, designated at the highest national wildfire preparedness level, or placed in the top decile of fireshed exposure under Forest Service risk models.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Faster wildfire response on high-risk forests
If enacted, the Forest Service would have to use all available resources to put out wildfires on certain high-risk National Forest lands. It would aim to extinguish any detected wildfire within 24 hours and immediately stop any prescribed fire that escapes its plan. Only the incident commander could order a backfire or burnout, unless needed to protect firefighter safety, and any such fire would have to be controlled until out. The Forest Service could not block State or local firefighters who are authorized to respond. Use of fire as a management tool would be limited to prescribed burns that follow all laws and rules. These rules would apply where risk is highest: areas in severe to exceptional drought (D2–D4), during national preparedness level 5, or in firesheds in the top 10% of wildfire exposure.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
McClintock
CA • R
Cosponsors
Rep. Calvert, Ken [R-CA-41]
CA • R
Sponsored 1/3/2025
LaMalfa
CA • R
Sponsored 1/3/2025
Rep. Biggs, Andy [R-AZ-5]
AZ • R
Sponsored 1/3/2025
Stauber
MN • R
Sponsored 1/3/2025
Rep. Issa, Darrell [R-CA-48]
CA • R
Sponsored 1/3/2025
Kiley (CA)
CA • I
Sponsored 1/7/2025
Rep. Zinke, Ryan K. [R-MT-1]
MT • R
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Rep. Owens, Burgess [R-UT-4]
UT • R
Sponsored 1/15/2025
Rep. Downing, Troy [R-MT-2]
MT • R
Sponsored 3/10/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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