I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 550 

To direct the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to maintain a program that improves wildfire forecasting and 

detection, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 26, 2023 

Mr. MIKE GARCIA of California (for himself, Mrs. KIM of California, Ms. CHU, 

and Ms. BROWNLEY) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 

the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 

A BILL 

To direct the Administrator of the National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration to maintain a program that 

improves wildfire forecasting and detection, and for other 

purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Fire Information and 

5 Reaction Enhancement Act of 2023’’ or the ‘‘FIRE Act 

6 of 2023’’. 

7 SEC. 2. WILDFIRE FORECASTING AND DETECTION. 

8 (a) IN GENERAL.— 


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1 (1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Administrator of 

2 the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra3 tion, in collaboration with the United States weather 

4 industry and such academic entities as the Adminis5 trator considers appropriate, shall establish a pro6 gram within such Administration to improve wildfire 

7 forecasting and detection. 

8 (2) GOALS.—The goals of the program under 

9 paragraph (1) shall be to develop and extend accu10 rate wildfire forecasts and warnings in order to re11 duce loss of life, injury, property, and damage to the 

12 economy, with a focus on improving the following: 

13 (A) The prediction of intensification and 

14 spread of wildfires. 

15 (B) The forecast and communication of 

16 smoke dispersion from wildfires. 

17 (C) Information dissemination and risk 

18 communication to create more effective watch 

19 and warning products. 

20 (D) The early detection of wildfires to con21 tain their growth and mitigate damages. 

22 (3) ELEMENTS.—In order to meet the goals 

23 specified in paragraph (2), the Administrator of the 

24 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is 


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1 authorized to conduct development, testing, and de2 ployment activities related to the following: 

3 (A) Advanced satellite detection products. 

4 (B) Grid-based assessments and outlooks 

5 of fuel moisture and danger levels. 

6 (C) Coupled atmosphere and fire modeling 

7 systems. 

8 (D) Systems to link climate predictions to 

9 achievable land management decisions. 

10 (E) Improved spatial and temporal resolu11 tion observations in high latitudes. 

12 (b) CONSTRUCTION AUTHORIZATION.— 

13 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 

14 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the As15 sistant Administrator for the Office of Oceanic and 

16 Atmospheric Research, in partnership with industry 

17 and academic partners, shall establish a program to 

18 create one or more weather research testbeds to de19 velop improved detection of and forecast capabilities 

20 for wildfire events and their impacts. 

21 (2) RESOURCES.—In carrying out the program 

22 under paragraph (1), the Assistant Administrator 

23 for the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research 

24 may not utilize resources for such testbeds from the 

25 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 


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1 cooperative institutes in existence as of the date of 

2 enactment of this Act. 

3 (3) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 

4 There is authorized to be appropriated $15,000,000 

5 for fiscal year 2024 to carry out the program under 

6 paragraph (1). 

Æ 


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