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Congress·In Committee·about 2 months ago

Congress Proposes 30-Minute Response Goal for Wildfires on Federal Lands

Also known as: Wildfire Response and Preparedness Act of 2025

Legislative Progress

✓ Filed
Review
House
Senate
President

Impact Analysis

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

State Impacts

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Key Points

  • Mrs. Kim introduced a bill that would require federal agencies to set strict speed limits for how fast they react to wildfires. The goal is for officials to evaluate a new fire within 30 minutes of it starting.
  • The plan also aims to get firefighting tools, like airplanes and ground crews, to the fire within three hours. This would apply to millions of acres of federal land, including National Parks and National Forests.
  • To meet these goals, the government would have to study how many more planes and firefighters are needed. They would also look for ways to fix the dispatch system so help can be sent out much faster than it is today.
  • This policy is designed to stop small fires from turning into giant disasters that threaten lives and homes. By setting a clear clock for response times, the bill tries to hold agencies accountable for how quickly they protect communities.
  • The bill also asks for a single person to be in charge of wildfire response and a unified budget. This would help different government groups work together more easily and ensure firefighting resources are available all year long.
Energy EnvironmentAgriculture

Milestones

4 milestones5 actions
Jan 14, 2026House

Subcommittee Hearings Held

Jan 7, 2026House

Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Lands.

Jun 18, 2025House

Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.

Jun 17, 2025House

Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Jun 17, 2025

Introduced in House

Related News

4 articles
Politico·about 2 months ago

House panel to revisit federal wildfire response

A House Natural Resources subcommittee is taking testimony on the 'Wildfire Response and Preparedness Act' (H.R. 4038). The bill, led by Rep. Young Kim, requires the Interior and Agriculture departments to set standards of no less than 30 minutes to evaluate fires and 3 hours to deploy assets.

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Wildfire Today·about 2 months ago

National 30-minute wildfire response law faces debate

During a House hearing, Rep. Tom Tiffany called the 30-minute response standard a 'commonsense' measure. However, the U.S. Forest Service and firefighter advocacy groups warned that chronic staffing shortages and terrain limitations make such strict mandates difficult to achieve safely.

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Spectrum News·9 months ago

California Reps. Kim, Gray introduce legislation to create standard response time for wildfires on federal land

Reps. Young Kim and Adam Gray introduced the WRAP Act to establish a national standard for wildfire response. Kim noted that timely response can be the difference between life and death, citing the 2024 Airport Fire that devastated her district in Orange County.

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Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

Wildfire Response and Preparedness Act of 2025

Bill NumberHR 4038
Congress119th Congress
ChamberHouse of Representatives
Latest ActionSubcommittee Hearings Held

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(2)
D: 2

Analysis generated by AI. While we strive for accuracy, this should not be considered legal or professional advice. Always verify information with official government sources.