National Prescribed Fire Act of 2025

Key Points

• The bill requires federal agencies to increase the total acreage of controlled burns by 10% every year for the next decade. These "prescribed fires" clear out dead brush and wood that fuel catastrophic wildfires, making forests more resilient and protecting nearby communities.
• The bill creates a stronger, better-compensated prescribed fire workforce by extending hazard pay to workers conducting controlled burns, allowing seasonal firefighters to convert to permanent positions, and establishing dedicated task forces in every regional coordination center within 180 days.
• A new Collaborative Prescribed Fire Program would fund up to 20 projects per year across landscapes of at least 50,000 acres, with total annual funding capped at $20 million and individual projects limited to $1 million per year for up to 10 years.
• The bill formally supports Native American cultural burning practices by funding Indigenous-led training centers and requiring government-to-government consultation with Tribes on prescribed fire planning. It also extends liability protections under the Federal Tort Claims Act to non-federal partners working on controlled burns.
• Special career pathways are created for military veterans and formerly incarcerated individuals who have wildfire experience. The Secretaries must work with the VA and corrections departments to establish veteran fire crews and offer training and support services to eligible formerly incarcerated people.
• The EPA is directed to coordinate with state and tribal air quality agencies to manage smoke from prescribed fires, develop better smoke prediction models, and streamline the process for classifying prescribed fire smoke as an "exceptional event" so states aren't penalized under the Clean Air Act.