Title 16, ConservationRelease 119-110
§551c Planning for Fire Protection
Title 16 › CHAPTER 3 — FORESTS; FOREST SERVICE; REFORESTATION; MANAGEMENT › SUBCHAPTER I — GENERAL PROVISIONS › § 551c
Summary
Each year the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior must offer training programs to certify volunteer firefighters to fight forest fires on national forests, national parks, and Bureau of Land Management lands when those volunteers are needed. They must use existing authority to run the training and check whether colleges, schools, and other public or private groups can provide the programs. Educational institutions: includes land-grant colleges created under the Morrill Acts of July 2, 1862, and August 30, 1890. Within one year after May 9, 1990, each Secretary had to send Congress plans showing how local firefighting equipment would be mobilized in high-risk areas and reports listing presuppression needs, with estimated 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)Volunteer firefighters
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)“Educational institutions” defined
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)Mobilization of local equipment
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
that documents mobilization plans that provide for the use of firefighting equipment in cases of fire emergencies that may occur in each such area that may be highly prone to disastrous forest fires.
(d)Presuppression needs
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
Sep 22, 2026
Release point: 119-110