Congress·Reported·S. 2015

Sens. Wyden and Budd Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Boost Controlled Burns and Prevent Massive Wildfires

National Prescribed Fire Act of 2025

3 months ago·View on Congress.gov

Legislative Progress

Senate

House

President

Law

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.
From policy text
“the Secretaries shall conduct prescribed fires on Federal land such that the total acreage of Federal land on which prescribed fires are conducted is 10 percent greater than the total acreage of all Federal land on which prescribed fires were conducted during the preceding fiscal year”
View in full text
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.
From policy text
“Each Federal employee in any classification series, as identified by the Secretaries, shall be entitled to be paid the appropriate differential under subsection (d) of section 5545 of title 5, United States Code”
View in full text
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.
From policy text
“The Secretary concerned shall not provide more than $20,000,000 in total funding for projects under the program in any fiscal year.”
View in full text
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.
From policy text
“support the establishment of an Indigenous-led prescribed fire and cultural burning training center operated by an Indian Tribe or partnership of Indian Tribes”
View in full text
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.
From policy text
“the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, in cooperation with Federal and State land management agencies, shall coordinate with State, Tribal, and local air quality agencies that regulate smoke under the Clean Air Act”
View in full text

Energy EnvironmentLabor EmploymentVeteransAgriculture

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

Who is affectedScoreImpactCertaintyScopeDurationSentiment

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

Milestones

3 milestones3 actions

Dec 17, 2025Senate

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

Jun 10, 2025Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Jun 10, 2025

Introduced in Senate

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

Within 180 days of enactment

Dedicated prescribed fire task forces are established in each Geographic Area Coordination Center across the country

Federal and non-federal fire practitioners would have regional teams to coordinate controlled burns across property boundaries, expanding capacity to conduct prescribed fires

Within 2 years of enactment

Prescribed fire training centers open in regions that currently lack them, including an Indigenous-led cultural burning center

More fire practitioners get trained, building the workforce needed to increase controlled burns by 10% each year

Within 2 years of enactment

Landscape-scale prescribed fire plans are developed or revised for all National Forest and BLM districts

Streamlined environmental review removes one of the biggest bottlenecks to conducting prescribed burns, allowing faster implementation across larger areas

Related News

2 articles

Carolina Journal·9 months ago

Budd Introduces National Prescribed Fire Act of 2025

U.S. Sen. Ted Budd (R-NC) joined a bipartisan group to introduce the National Prescribed Fire Act of 2025. The bill mandates a 10% annual increase in prescribed fire acreage on federal lands over the next decade and focuses on building a skilled workforce to manage hazardous fuels.

CR+

POLITICO·over 1 year ago

Wyden looks to lame duck for prescribed fire push

Senator Ron Wyden is pushing for the passage of the National Prescribed Fire Act, aiming to clear regulatory hurdles and increase funding for controlled burns. The bill emphasizes the use of 'beneficial fire' to reduce the intensity of summer mega-fires.

CL=

Related Bills

1 bill

H.R. 3889Identical bill

National Prescribed Fire Act of 2025

Jun 10 — Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, and Energy and Commerce, 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.