I 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3532 

To require the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out a periodic wildfire 

assessment, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 25, 2021 

Mr. O’HALLERAN (for himself, Mr. LAMALFA, and Mr. PANETTA) introduced 

the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture, 

and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, 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 

A BILL 

To require the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out a 

periodic wildfire assessment, 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. WILDFIRE PREPARATION, RESPONSE, AND RE4 COVERY ASSESSMENT. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.— 

6 (1) ASSESSMENT REQUIRED.—The Secretary of 

7 Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest 

8 Service and in consultation with the Secretary of the 


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1 Interior, shall, not less than once every 5 years, 

2 complete a wildfire assessment that includes the 

3 analysis described in paragraph (2). 

4 (2) CONTENTS OF ANALYSIS.—The assessment 

5 required under paragraph (1), shall, to the max6 imum extent practicable, with respect to the pre7 ceding 5 years, include an analysis of— 

8 (A) the direct costs of wildfire response, 

9 preparation, and recovery, including— 

10 (i) wildfire mitigation activities; 

11 (ii) wildlife suppression activities; 

12 (iii) insured private property losses 

13 due to wildfire; 

14 (iv) uninsured private property losses 

15 due to wildfire; 

16 (v) damage due to wildfire and the 

17 necessary repairs related to utility infra18 structure, including shutoffs; 

19 (vi) damage and loss of timber and 

20 other agricultural resources due to wildfire; 

21 (vii) damage due to wildfire and the 

22 necessary restoration of archeological sites; 

23 (viii) evacuations and emergency shel24 ters; 

25 (ix) labor; 


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1 (x) human health, including death, in2 jury, and illness; 

3 (xi) necessary infrastructure and sta4 bilization repairs; 

5 (xii) damage due to wildfire and the 

6 necessary rehabilitation of ecosystem serv7 ices, including watershed impairment, 

8 vegetation, and soil impacts; and 

9 (xiii) damage due to wildfire and the 

10 necessary restoration to wildlife habitat; 

11 (B) the indirect costs of wildfire response, 

12 preparation, and recovery, including— 

13 (i) diminished tax revenue; 

14 (ii) lost business revenue, including 

15 supply chain impacts; and 

16 (iii) property devaluation and housing 

17 market impacts; 

18 (C) whether the costs described in sub19 paragraphs (A) and (B) have been or will be 

20 paid by— 

21 (i) the Federal government; 

22 (ii) State or territory governments; or 

23 (iii) county or local governments; 


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1 (D) a comparison between the analysis 

2 under such assessment and the analysis under 

3 the preceding assessment (as applicable); and 

4 (E) any challenges to ascertaining the 

5 costs described in subparagraphs (A), (B), and 

6 (C), including unavailable data. 

7 (b) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than 2 years 

8 after the date of the enactment of this section, and once 

9 every 5 years thereafter, the Secretary of Agriculture, act10 ing through the Chief of the Forest Service, shall submit 

11 to the President, the Committee on Agriculture of the 

12 House of Representatives, and the Committee on Agri13 culture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate the most 

14 recently completed assessment required under subsection 

15 (a)(1). 

16 (c) COLLABORATION.—In carrying out an assessment 

17 required under subsection (a)(1), the Secretary of Agri18 culture may collaborate with relevant Federal agencies, 

19 State and local governments, research institutions, utility 

20 companies and cooperatives, and non-profit organizations. 

Æ 


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