Wildfire Smoke Emergency Declaration Act of 2026

Key Points

• This bill creates a new type of federal emergency specifically for wildfire smoke. The president could declare a "smoke emergency" when air quality drops dangerously in one or more states, even if the fire itself is far away. This fills a gap in current disaster law, which mostly covers the fires themselves rather than the smoke that can drift hundreds of miles.
• Once a smoke emergency is declared, FEMA and other federal agencies could send direct help to affected communities. This includes grants, equipment, supplies, and personnel to set up smoke shelters, distribute air purifiers, and install additional air monitoring sites so people know when it is safe to go outside.
• Small businesses that lose significant revenue because of wildfire smoke could receive grants from the Small Business Administration. This targets local shops, restaurants, and other businesses that suffer when customers stay indoors during extended smoke events.
• State governors can formally request a smoke emergency declaration, similar to how they request disaster declarations for hurricanes or floods. This gives state leaders a clear path to get federal resources when smoke threatens their communities.
• The bill also adjusts federal budget rules so that spending on smoke emergencies gets special treatment, similar to other emergency spending. This means smoke emergency money would not count against regular spending caps, making it easier to fund without cutting other programs.