HR4075119th CongressWALLET

Fire Weather Development Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Representative Crank

Introduced

Summary

Strengthen NOAA's wildfire forecasting and observation capabilities. This bill would create a NOAA program to improve fire weather and fire environment forecasts, early detection, smoke forecasting, and delivery of forecasts and warnings to emergency managers and land managers.

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  • Families, communities, and local emergency responders would get clearer forecasts and smoke dispersion guidance aimed at reducing deaths, injuries, and property loss.
  • Land managers, the U.S. Forest Service, and State and Tribal partners would gain new tools, higher-resolution observations, grid-based fuel moisture and danger assessments, and modeling that links climate forecasts to local decisions and prescribed burn impacts.
  • Researchers, the weather industry, and technology providers would be eligible for competitive grants, contracts, and private-sector data purchases. The bill would fund unmanned aircraft system pilot programs and testing and authorizes $5.0 million for fiscal year 2026 for UAS activities while generally barring procurement of UAS from foreign countries of concern with a waiver process.

*Includes a $5.0 million authorization for fiscal year 2026 for unmanned aircraft system activities under the program.*

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

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

Pay protections for Weather Service fire work

If enacted, this would change pay rules for National Weather Service staff who support wildfires. Premium pay for Incident Meteorologists that is mainly for wildland fire suppression would not count toward federal pay caps, when the Commerce Secretary makes that determination. The bill would also add the National Weather Service to an existing federal pay‑rate rule, clarifying that rule applies to NWS.

Limits on NOAA buying foreign drones

NOAA would generally be barred from buying drones made or assembled by entities in certain foreign countries. The ban could be bypassed only for marine or atmospheric science if the NOAA Administrator consults the Homeland Security Secretary. The Administrator could also issue case‑by‑case waivers with DHS approval. Any waiver would have to be reported to Congress within 30 days.

Coordinating wildfire planning across agencies

The Office of Science and Technology Policy would set up an interagency wildfire committee within 90 days. The committee would deliver a strategic plan to Congress within one year and help agencies share tools and avoid duplicate work. After the plan is submitted, a separate advisory committee of 7–15 non‑federal experts would be formed. Members would serve without pay, avoid conflicts, and the advisory group would end on September 30, 2029.

Faster, safer wildfire alerts and data

NIST would start research within 60 days to improve how firefighting groups share secure, real‑time data and alerts. It would run live and virtual tests, measure how long alerts take now, and set standards. NIST would publish recommendations and send them to OMB and OSTP for agencies to follow. A GAO report would review agency actions one year after the recommendations are published.

New NOAA program for wildfire forecasts

This bill would direct NOAA to start a program to improve wildfire forecasts, warnings, and smoke information. It would create a fire weather testbed to try new tools and move them into daily use. NOAA could contract for extra satellite and airborne data within one year and would consult outside experts. Congress is authorized to provide $4,000,000 each year for FY2026–FY2029 for the testbed. The testbed would not be allowed to use transferred or reprogrammed funds or staff from existing NOAA institutes.

Testing drones for wildfire weather data

NOAA would study and test unmanned aircraft (drones) to gather wildfire weather and environment data. NOAA could run pilot tests within 18 months, feed data into fire‑weather models, and collect best practices. NOAA must brief Congress within 270 days on these activities. Congress is authorized to provide $5,000,000 for FY2026 for this work. NOAA could use a NASA wildfire airspace system once NASA says it is ready.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Crank

CO • R

Cosponsors

  • Begich

    AK • R

    Sponsored 6/23/2025

  • Rivas

    CA • D

    Sponsored 6/23/2025

  • Hurd (CO)

    CO • R

    Sponsored 6/23/2025

  • Franklin, Scott

    FL • R

    Sponsored 6/24/2025

  • Evans (CO)

    CO • R

    Sponsored 6/24/2025

  • Vindman

    VA • D

    Sponsored 8/12/2025

  • Neguse

    CO • D

    Sponsored 11/17/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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