I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4852 
To increase the preparation of structural firefighters to assist in wildfire 
and wildland-urban interface fire response efforts and the coordination 
of firefighting teams across all levels of government, and for other pur-
poses. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
AUGUST 1, 2025 
Mr. HARDER of California (for himself and Mr. VALADAO) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in 
addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, Transportation and In-
frastructure, Armed Services, and Education and Workforce, for a period 
to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consider-
ation of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
concerned 
A BILL 
To increase the preparation of structural firefighters to assist 
in wildfire and wildland-urban interface fire response 
efforts and the coordination of firefighting teams across 
all levels of government, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Wildfire Emergency 
Preparedness Act of 2025’’. 
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SEC. 2. TRAINING PLAN AND GRANT PROGRAM UNDER THE 
UNITED STATES FOREST SERVICE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT
OF
NATIONAL
TRAINING 
PLAN.—Not later than 1 year after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture, acting 
through the Chief of the Forest Service, in consultation 
with the entities described in subsection (b), shall publish 
a plan to train structural firefighters in the United States, 
including such firefighters employed by the Federal Gov-
ernment, to respond safely and effectively to incidents of 
the following: 
(1) Wildfire. 
(2) Fire in the wildland-urban interface. 
(b) ENTITIES DESCRIBED.—The entities described in 
this subsection are the following: 
(1) The Secretary of the Interior. 
(2) The Under Secretary of Agriculture for Fire 
Coordination (as established under section 3(a)). 
(3) The Superintendent of the National Acad-
emy for Fire Prevention and Control of the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency. 
(c) GUIDELINES.—The plan published under sub-
section (a) shall include guidelines for a training cur-
riculum that incorporates the following: 
(1) Such training materials as may be devel-
oped by the Superintendent of the National Acad-
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emy for Fire Prevention and Control pursuant to 
section 7 of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control 
Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2206). 
(2) The material for courses S–130 and S–190 
(or any substantially similar successor course) devel-
oped by the National Wildlife Coordinating Group. 
(d) TRAINING DEVELOPMENT GRANTS.—The Sec-
retary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the For-
est Service, may make a grant, on a competitive basis, 
to an eligible entity to carry out a training program for 
structural firefighters with a curriculum that— 
(1) adheres to the plan published under sub-
section (a); and 
(2) satisfies the guidelines referred to in sub-
section (c). 
(e) ELIGIBILITY.—An entity is an eligible entity and 
eligible to apply for a grant described in subsection (d) 
if the entity is a nonprofit organization that provides 
training or development programs for structural fire-
fighters with demonstrated experience with respect to each 
of the following: 
(1) Developing curricula for classroom and 
practical training of structural firefighters. 
(2) Delivering teaching or training programs, 
both in-person and online, to structural firefighters 
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on topics related to fireground safety and wildfire 
operations. 
(3) Collaboration with national nonprofit orga-
nizations to support research on firefighting safety 
and the health and wellness of firefighters. 
(f) APPLICATIONS.—An eligible entity may apply to 
the Secretary of Agriculture, in a form and manner deter-
mined by the Secretary, for a grant under this section if 
the application includes a certification that the training 
program referred to in subsection (d) is to be carried out 
in consultation with each of the following: 
(1) Firefighting personnel of State and local 
fire service agencies, including such personnel with 
supervisory responsibilities or heads of such agen-
cies. 
(2) Volunteer firefighters. 
(3) State and local officials who maintain and 
enforce building codes. 
(4) Researchers with experience investigating 
firefighting injuries and fatalities. 
(g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2026 through 2031. 
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(2) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary of 
Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest 
Service, may obligate and expend, for each fiscal 
year specified in paragraph (1), not more than 2.5 
percent of the amount authorized to be appropriated 
under such paragraph for technical assistance. 
(3) CARRYOVER.—Amounts authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section shall remain 
available until expended. 
SEC. 3. COORDINATION OF WILDFIRE AND WILDLAND- 
URBAN INTERFACE FIRE OPERATIONS. 
(a) UNDER SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE FOR FIRE 
COORDINATION.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established in 
the Department of Agriculture a position known as 
the Under Secretary of Agriculture for Fire Coordi-
nation (referred to in this section as the ‘‘Under 
Secretary’’), who shall be appointed by the Presi-
dent, by and with the advice and consent of the Sen-
ate. 
(2) DUTIES.— 
(A) 
FIRE
PREPAREDNESS
AND
RE-
SPONSE.—The Under Secretary shall serve as 
the principal adviser to the Secretary of Agri-
culture for any matter that relates to the co-
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ordination of Federal, State, and local govern-
ments in preparing for, and responding to, inci-
dents of the following: 
(i) Wildfire. 
(ii) Fires occurring in the wildland- 
urban interface. 
(B) INTEGRATION AND EFFECTIVENESS OF 
FIREFIGHTING
EFFORTS.—The Under Sec-
retary shall coordinate with the Chief of the 
Forest Service with respect to the following: 
(i) Improving the effectiveness of fire-
fighting operations conducted by the Sec-
retary of Agriculture. 
(ii) Advising the Secretary of Agri-
culture regarding the coordination de-
scribed in subparagraph (A). 
(C) OTHER
DUTIES.—The Under Sec-
retary shall exercise such other functions, and 
perform such other duties, as may be required 
by law or prescribed by the Secretary of Agri-
culture. 
(b) WILDLAND FIRE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL; NA-
TIONAL WILDFIRE COORDINATING GROUP.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days after 
the date of the enactment of this section, the Sec-
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retary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Inte-
rior shall take such necessary actions to ensure that 
a representative of a national labor organization rep-
resenting State and local firefighters is a member of 
the following: 
(A) The Wildland Fire Leadership Council. 
(B) The National Wildfire Coordinating 
Group. 
(2) APPLICATION.—A representative described 
in paragraph (1) may be a member of the Wildland 
Fire Leadership Council and the National Wildfire 
Coordinating Group at the same time if the Sec-
retary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Inte-
rior determine such is appropriate. 
SEC. 4. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FIREFIGHTING PER-
SONNEL. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other provi-
sion of law, upon request from a qualified agency head, 
the Secretary of Defense may authorize firefighters in the 
Department of Defense to conduct operations, or to assist 
the qualified agency head in conducting operations, in re-
sponse to incidents of wildfire or fire in the wildland-urban 
interface. 
(b) REIMBURSEMENT.—A qualified agency head who 
makes a request to the Secretary of Defense under sub-
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