I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8656 
To provide for the implementation of certain recommendations from the 
Report of the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 7, 2024 
Mr. HARDER of California (for himself, Mr. SCOTT FRANKLIN of Florida, Mr. 
NEGUSE, Mr. STANTON, Mr. THOMPSON of California, Mr. GARAMENDI, 
and Ms. HOYLE of Oregon) introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the 
Committees on Agriculture, Education and the Workforce, Oversight and 
Accountability, Armed Services, Energy and Commerce, Science, Space, 
and Technology, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Small Business, 
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 provide for the implementation of certain recommenda-
tions from the Report of the Wildland Fire Mitigation 
and Management Commission. 
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 ‘‘Modernizing Wildfire 
Safety and Prevention Act of 2024’’. 
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SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
The table of contents for this Act is the following: 
Sec. 1. Short title. 
Sec. 2. Table of Contents. 
Sec. 3. Definition of Report. 
TITLE I—WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT 
Sec. 101. Middle Fire Leaders Academy (Report Recommendation 55). 
Sec. 102. Wildfire workforce grant program (Report Recommendation 88). 
TITLE II—WILDLAND FIREFIGHTER SUPPORT 
Sec. 201. Fire Service Retention and Retirement Portability (Report Rec-
ommendation 86). 
Sec. 202. Wildland Fire Management Casualty Assistance Program (Report 
Recommendation 87). 
TITLE III—WILDFIRE SMOKE AND PUBLIC HEALTH 
Sec. 301. National Smoke Monitoring and Alert System (Report Recommenda-
tion 44). 
Sec. 302. Health risk assessment for Wildfire Smoke Exposure (Report Rec-
ommendation 100). 
TITLE IV—FIRE MITIGATION AND TECHNOLOGY 
Sec. 401. Improvements to wildfire forage loss programs (Report Recommenda-
tion 59). 
Sec. 402. Improvements to FEMA Programs (Report Recommendations 66 and 
64). 
Sec. 403. The Wildland Dynamic Risk Mapping Program (Report Rec-
ommendation 118). 
Sec. 404. Improvements to grant programs for community wildfire risk reduc-
tion and postfire recovery efforts (Report Recommendation 
142). 
Sec. 405. Joint Office of the Fire Environment Center (Report Recommenda-
tions 104, 105, 106). 
Sec. 406. Interagency Data Collaboration Environment (Report Recommenda-
tion 107). 
Sec. 407. Requirements related to payment timing for certain programs ad-
dressing wildfire damages (Report Recommendation 61). 
SEC. 3. DEFINITION OF REPORT. 
In this Act, the term ‘‘Report’’ means the Report of 
the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commis-
sion, dated September 2023. 
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TITLE I—WORKFORCE 
DEVELOPMENT 
SEC. 101. MIDDLE FIRE LEADERS ACADEMY (REPORT REC-
OMMENDATION 55). 
(a) MIDDLE FIRE LEADERS ACADEMY.—Not later 
than a 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Chief of the Forest Service shall create a Middle Fire 
Leaders Academy which shall be open to Federal and non- 
Federal wildland fire response workforce employees. The 
Middle Fire Leaders Academy shall provide— 
(1) rapid training and certification for emerging 
wildfire and beneficial fire leaders; and 
(2) additional and expanded training of suffi-
cient quality to enable managers and decision mak-
ers responsible for addressing wildfire incidents and 
prescribed burns to make informed decisions regard-
ing the beneficial application and management of 
fire, including managing local fire regimes and other 
forms of beneficial fire use. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2034. 
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SEC. 102. WILDFIRE WORKFORCE GRANT PROGRAM (RE-
PORT RECOMMENDATION 88). 
(a) GRANTS AUTHORIZED.—Not later than 6 months 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Education shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to 
eligible entities to carry out a program described in sub-
section (c). 
(b) APPLICATION.—To be eligible to receive a grant 
under this Act, an eligible entity shall submit to the Sec-
retary an application in such manner, at such time, and 
containing such information as the Secretary may require. 
(c) USE OF FUNDS.—An eligible entity that receives 
a grant under this Act shall carry out an educational or 
vocational program that leads to a degree, certificate, or 
other recognized credential in wildfire emergency manage-
ment, including— 
(1) agricultural landscape planning relating to 
wildfire resilience; 
(2) natural resource management relating to 
wildfire resilience; 
(3) emergency management; 
(4) emergency medical technician services; 
(5) paramedic services; 
(6) fire science; 
(7) firefighting; 
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(8) community planning relating to wildfire re-
silience; 
(9) safety and operations training for structural 
firefighters assigned to wildfire incidents; or 
(10) any other program that trains individuals 
in the wildfire mitigation, response, or recovery 
workforce. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) ACCREDITED LOCAL ACADEMY.—The term 
‘‘accredited local academy’’ means a partnership, be-
tween a local fire suppression organization and the 
office of the Fire Marshall of a State, that delivers 
a State Fire Training program. 
(2) ACCREDITED
REGIONAL
TRAINING
PRO-
GRAM.—The term ‘‘accredited regional training pro-
gram’’ means a partnership, between a junior or 
community college or institution of higher education 
and the office of the Fire Marshall of a State, that 
delivers an approved State Fire Training program 
within a given region. 
(3) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti-
ty’’ means— 
(A) a junior or community college; 
(B) an institution of higher education; 
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(C) an accredited regional training pro-
gram; 
(D) an accredited local academy; or 
(E) a nonprofit entity with experience ad-
ministering education and training programs 
for fire service personnel. 
(4) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The 
term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the 
meaning given such term in section 102 of the High-
er Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002). 
(5) JUNIOR
OR
COMMUNITY
COLLEGE.—The 
term ‘‘junior or community college’’ has the meaning 
given such term in section 312 of the Higher Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1058). 
(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2034. 
TITLE II—WILDLAND 
FIREFIGHTER SUPPORT 
SEC. 201. FIRE SERVICE RETENTION AND RETIREMENT 
PORTABILITY (REPORT RECOMMENDATION 
86). 
(a) BREAK-IN-SERVICE CONSIDERATION FOR FED-
ERAL WILDLAND FIREFIGHTER RETIREMENTS.—Not-
withstanding sections 8336(c) and 8412(d) of title 5, 
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United States Code, not later than May 1, 2024, the Sec-
retary concerned, in coordination with the Secretary of 
Labor, shall promulgate regulations, as necessary, to en-
sure that a Federal wildland firefighter would not forfeit 
previously made contributions or eligibility for firefighter 
retirement when the Federal wildland firefighter has a vol-
untary break in service of not more than 2 years. 
(b) RETENTION OF ENHANCED RETIREMENT BENE-
FITS DURING PERIOD OF NON-FEDERAL SERVICE.—Sec-
tion 104(e)(2) of the Indian Self-Determination and Edu-
cation Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5323(e)) is amended by 
adding at the end the following: ‘‘Any Federal wildland 
firefighter (as that term is defined in section 201(d) of 
the Modernizing Wildfire Safety and Prevention Act of 
2024) who retains coverage, rights, and benefits under 
such chapter 83 or 84 pursuant to this paragraph shall 
retain enhanced retirement benefits under either such 
chapter.’’. 
(c) JOB-SHARING.—Notwithstanding any other pro-
vision of law, a Federal wildland firefighter or wildland 
fire support personnel may occupy a position in the civil 
service (as that term is defined in section 2101 of title 
5, United States Code) and a position with a Tribal gov-
ernment under a job-share agreement even if the position 
with a Tribal government is classified at a level higher 
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than the civil service position, including any level that is 
above that of the highest level applicable to the General 
Schedule. 
(d) FEDERAL WILDLAND FIREFIGHTER.—In this 
section, the term ‘‘Federal wildland firefighter’’ means a 
person who is— 
(1) in a temporary, seasonal, or permanent po-
sition at the Department of Agriculture or the De-
partment of the Interior or as a Tribal firefighter 
who; 
(A) maintains group, emergency incident 
management, or fire qualifications, as estab-
lished annually by the Standards for Wildland 
Fire Position Qualifications published by the 
National Wildfire Coordinating Group; and 
(B) primarily engages in or supports 
wildland fire management activities, including 
forestry and rangeland technicians and posi-
tions concerning aviation, engineering heavy 
equipment operations, dispatch, or fire and 
fuels management; or 
(2) a Federal firefighter stationed on military 
installations under the Department of Defense who 
engages in or supports wildland fire management ac-
tivities, including forestry and rangeland technicians 
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and positions concerning aviation, engineering heavy 
equipment operations, dispatch, or fire and fuels 
management. 
SEC. 202. WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT CASUALTY AS-
SISTANCE 
PROGRAM 
(REPORT 
REC-
OMMENDATION 87). 
(a) DEVELOPMENT OF PROGRAM.—Not later than 6 
months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary of the Interior shall develop a Wildland Fire 
Management Casualty Assistance Program (referred to in 
this section as the ‘‘Program’’) to provide assistance to 
the next-of-kin of— 
(1) critically injured, ill, and deceased fire-
fighters injury, illness, or death in the line of duty; 
and 
(2) wildland fire support personnel critically in-
jured or killed in the line of duty. 
(b) ASPECTS OF PROGRAM.—The Program shall ad-
dress the following: 
(1) The initial and any subsequent notifications 
to the next-of-kin of a firefighter or wildland fire 
support personnel who— 
(A) was killed in the line of duty; or 
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(B) requires hospitalization or treatment 
at a medical facility due to a line-of-duty injury 
or illness. 
(2) The reimbursement of next-of-kin for ex-
penses associated with travel to visit a firefighter or 
wildland fire support personnel who— 
(A) was killed in the line of duty; or 
(B) requires hospitalization or treatment 
at a medical facility due to a line-of-duty injury 
or illness. 
(3) The qualifications, assignment, training, du-
ties, supervision, and accountability for the perform-
ance of casualty assistance responsibilities. 
(4) The relief or transfer of casualty assistance 
officers, including notification to survivors of critical 
injury or illness in the line of duty and next-of-kin 
of the reassignment of such officers to other duties. 
(5) Centralized, short-term and long-term case 
management procedures for casualty assistance, in-
cluding rapid access by survivors of firefighters or 
wildland fire support personnel and casualty assist-
ance officers to expert case managers and coun-
selors. 
(6) The provision, through a computer acces-
sible website and other means and at no cost to sur-
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vivors and next-of-kin of firefighters or wildland fire 
support personnel, of personalized, integrated infor-
mation on the benefits and financial assistance avail-
able to such survivors from the Federal Government. 
(7) The provision of information to survivors 
and next-of-kin of firefighters or wildland fire sup-
port personnel on mechanisms for registering com-
plaints about, or requests for, additional assistance 
related to casualty assistance. 
(8) Liaison with the Department of the Inte-
rior, the Department of Justice, and the Social Se-
curity Administration to ensure prompt and accurate 
resolution of issues relating to benefits administered 
by those agencies for survivors of firefighters or 
wildland fire support personnel. 
(9) Data collection regarding the incidence and 
quality of casualty assistance provided to survivors 
of firefighters or wildland fire support personnel. 
(c) LINE OF DUTY DEATH BENEFITS.—The Pro-
gram shall not affect existing authorities for Line of Duty 
Death benefits for Federal firefighters and wildland fire 
support personnel. 
(d) NEXT-OF-KIN DEFINED.—In this section, the 
term ‘‘next of kin’’ means person or persons in the highest 
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category of priority as determined by the following list 
(categories appear in descending order of priority): 
(1) Surviving legal spouse. 
(2) Children (whether by current or prior mar-
riage) age 18 years or older in descending prece-
dence by age. 
(3) Father or mother, unless by court order 
custody has been vested in another (adoptive parent 
takes precedence over natural parent); 
(4) Siblings (whole or half) age 18 years or 
older in descending precedence by age. 
(5) Grandfather or grandmother. 
(6) Any other relative (precedence to be deter-
mined in accordance with the civil law of descent of 
the deceased former member’s State of domicile at 
time of death). 
(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section, 
$1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2034. 
TITLE III—WILDFIRE SMOKE 
AND PUBLIC HEALTH 
SEC. 301. NATIONAL SMOKE MONITORING AND ALERT SYS-
TEM (REPORT RECOMMENDATION 44). 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Administrator of the Na-
tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, acting 
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through the Director of the National Weather Service, and 
in conjunction with the Secretary of Agriculture acting 
through the Chief of the Forest Service, the Secretary of 
the Interior, the Administrator of the Environmental Pro-
tection Agency, and the Director of the Centers for Dis-
ease Control and Prevention shall establish a nationally 
consistent smoke monitoring and alert system to provide 
consistent, real-time information and forecasts on air 
quality impacts from wildfire smoke, including wildfire 
smoke in the built environment. 
(b) INCREASE IN SMOKE SENSORS.—In carrying out 
subsection (a), to ensure adequate and accessible data, the 
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency 
shall increase the availability and use of air monitoring 
devices for wildfire smoke, including, to distinguish wild-
fire smoke from other forms of air pollution, increasing 
the availability and use of— 
(1) speciation monitors; and 
(2) nonregulatory air monitors. 
(c) USE OF SATELLITES.—In carrying out subsection 
(a), the Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
Agency shall explore the use of satellites. 
(d) PUBLIC COUNTY-RESOLUTION SMOKE ALERT 
SYSTEM FOR PUBLIC HEALTH AND ROADWAYS SAFE-
TY.—In carrying out subsection (a), not later than 1 year 
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after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Adminis-
trator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminis-
tration, acting through the Director of the National 
Weather Service and in coordination with the Secretary 
of Agriculture acting through the Chief of the Forest Serv-
ice, the Secretary of the Interior, and the Administrator 
of the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Director 
of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shall 
establish a public county-resolution smoke alert system for 
public health and roadways safety which shall be based 
on levels of particulate matter. The system established 
under this subsection shall be in addition to the National 
Weather Service Dense Smoke Advisories, which are based 
on visibility. 
(e) COLLECTION AND DISSEMINATION OF AIR QUAL-
ITY AND SMOKE ALERT INFORMATION.—In carrying out 
subsection (a), the Director of the National Weather Serv-
ice shall collect all air quality forecasts, including through 
AirNow, public notifications, and alerts for smoke issued 
by Federal, State, local, Tribal, and territorial air agencies 
and disseminate them through weather forecast office net-
works to enable the Wireless Emergency Alerts System to 
be extended to support smoke communications to protect 
public health. 
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(f) FOREST SERVICE PERSONNEL AND SMOKE MONI-
TORING EQUIPMENT.—In carrying out subsection (a), not 
later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief 
of the Forest Service, in coordination with the Secretary 
of the Interior, shall expand the personnel and smoke 
monitoring equipment of the Forest Service to increase the 
capacity of the Forest Service to assess wildfire smoke, 
including wildfire smoke in the built environment, and 
carry out prescribed fires. 
(g) INTERAGENCY WILDLAND FIRE AIR QUALITY 
RESPONSE PROGRAM PERSONNEL
AND SMOKE MONI-
TORING EQUIPMENT.—In carrying out subsection (a), not 
later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the 
Interior shall expand the personnel (including air resource 
advisors) of, and smoke monitoring equipment available 
to, the Interagency Wildland Fire Air Quality Response 
Program established under section 1114(f) of the John D. 
Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation 
Act (43 U.S.C. 1748b–1(f)). 
(h) EXPANSION OF EMERGENCY RESPONSE CAPAC-
ITY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out subsection 
(a), the Administrator of the Environmental Protec-
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tion Agency shall expand the emergency response ca-
pacity, including personnel and equipment, of the 
Environmental Protection Agency— 
(A) to measure air pollution from wildfires 
that involve combustion of hazardous materials; 
and 
(B) to communicate information during 
smoke events resulting from wildfires. 
(2) DEFINITION.—In this subsection, the term 
‘‘hazardous materials’’ means explosive, flammable, 
combustible, corrosive, oxidizing, toxic, infectious, or 
radioactive materials that, when involved in an acci-
dent and released in sufficient quantities, put some 
portion of the general public in immediate danger 
from exposure, contact, inhalation, or ingestion. 
(i) IMPROVEMENTS TO EXISTING SYSTEMS.—In car-
rying out subsection (a), in order to maintain the Environ-
mental Protection Agency AirNow framework and tech-
nology as a state-of-the-art, real-time resource for pro-
viding robust and actionable information to protect public 
health from wildfire smoke, the Administrator of the Envi-
ronmental Protection Agency shall, as the Administrator 
determines appropriate, improve and modernize such 
AirNow framework and technology, including by making 
improvements to and otherwise modernizing AirNow.gov, 
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AirNow-Tech, the AirNow Environmental Protection 
Agency and Forest Service Fire and Smoke Map, AirNow 
Forecast Submittal System, and the AirNow mobile app. 
(j) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$32,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2034. 
SEC. 302. HEALTH RISK ASSESSMENT FOR WILDFIRE 
SMOKE EXPOSURE (REPORT RECOMMENDA-
TION 100). 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Na-
tional Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, in 
consultation with the Administrator of the Environmental 
Protection Agency, the Director of the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention, the Administrator of the United 
States Fire Administration, the Chief of the Forest Serv-
ice, and the Director of the Office of Wildland Fire, shall 
complete a human health risk assessment for worker expo-
sure to wildfire smoke to estimate the nature and prob-
ability of adverse health effects in workers who may be 
exposed to hazards from wildfire smoke, including wildfire 
smoke in the built environment. 
(b) REQUIREMENTS FOR ASSESSMENT.—The human 
health risk assessment required under subsection (a) shall 
address the following: 
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(1) The health problems for workers that may 
be caused by exposure to wildfire smoke, including 
wildfire smoke in the built environment. 
(2) The probability that workers will experience 
health problems when exposed to different con-
centrations of wildfire smoke, including wildfire 
smoke in the built environment. 
(3) The chemicals that workers are exposed to 
from wildfire smoke, including wildfire smoke in the 
built environment, as well as the overall level and 
duration of such exposure. 
(4) The differences in worker susceptibility to 
health effects from exposure to wildfire smoke, in-
cluding wildfire smoke in the built environment. 
(5) The effectiveness of mitigating both acute 
and cumulative exposures to wildfire smoke, includ-
ing wildfire smoke in the built environment, in de-
creasing adverse health effects from such wildfire 
smoke. 
(c) BEST PRACTICES.—Not later than 6 months after 
completing the human health risk assessment under sub-
section (a), the Director of the National Institute for Oc-
cupational Safety and Health shall develop and publish 
best practices to mitigate worker exposure to wildfire 
smoke, including wildfire smoke in the built environment. 
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Such best practices shall be informed by the human health 
assessment completed under subsection (a). 
(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to the Director of the Na-
tional Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to 
carry out this section $1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2025 through 2027. 
TITLE IV—FIRE MITIGATION 
AND TECHNOLOGY 
SEC. 401. IMPROVEMENTS TO WILDFIRE FORAGE LOSS 
PROGRAMS (REPORT RECOMMENDATION 59). 
(a) 
LIVESTOCK
FORAGE
PROGRAM.—Section 
1501(c)(4)(A)(ii) of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 
U.S.C. 9081(c)(4)(A)(ii)) is amended by inserting ‘‘(in-
cluding a prescribed fire, beneficial fire, and wildfire man-
aged for resource objectives)’’ before the period. 
(b) EMERGENCY
LIVESTOCK
ASSISTANCE
PRO-
GRAM.—Section 1501(d)(1) of the Agricultural Act of 
2014 (7 U.S.C. 9081(d)(1)) is amended by striking ‘‘and 
wildfires’’ and inserting ‘‘wildfires, beneficial fires, pre-
scribed fires, and wildfires managed for resource objec-
tives’’. 
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SEC. 402. IMPROVEMENTS TO FEMA PROGRAMS (REPORT 
RECOMMENDATIONS 66 AND 64). 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 324 of the Robert T. 
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act 
(42 U.S.C. 5165b) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)(2)— 
(A) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) 
and (B) as clauses (i) and (ii), respectively, and 
adjusting the margins accordingly; and 
(B) in the matter preceding clause (i), as 
so redesignated, by striking ‘‘provide the fol-
lowing percentage rates’’ and inserting ‘‘pro-
vide— 
‘‘(A) excess funds for management costs as 
described in subsection (c); and 
‘‘(B) the following percentage rates’’; 
(2) by redesignating subsection (c) as sub-
section (d); and 
(3) by inserting after subsection (b) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(c) USE OF EXCESS FUNDS FOR MANAGEMENT 
COSTS.— 
‘‘(1) DEFINITION.—In this subsection, the term 
‘excess funds for management costs’ means the dif-
ference between— 
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‘‘(A) the amount of the applicable specific 
management costs authorized under subsection 
(b)(1) and subsection (b)(2)(B); and 
‘‘(B) as of the date on which the grant 
award is closed, the amount of funding for 
management costs activities expended by the 
grantee or subgrantee receiving the financial as-
sistance for costs described in subparagraph 
(A). 
‘‘(2) AVAILABILITY
OF
EXCESS
FUNDS
FOR 
MANAGEMENT
COSTS.—The President may make 
available to a grantee or subgrantee receiving finan-
cial assistance under section 403, 404, 406, 407, or 
502 any excess funds for management costs. 
‘‘(3) USE OF FUNDS.—Excess funds for man-
agement costs made available to a grantee or sub-
grantee under paragraph (2) may be used for— 
‘‘(A) activities associated with building ca-
pacity to prepare for, recover from, or mitigate 
the impacts of a major disaster or emergency 
declared under section 401 or 501, respectively; 
and 
‘‘(B) management costs associated with 
any— 
‘‘(i) major disaster; 
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‘‘(ii) emergency; 
‘‘(iii) disaster preparedness measure; 
or 
‘‘(iv) mitigation activity or measure 
authorized under section 203, 204, 205, or 
404. 
‘‘(4) AVAILABILITY.—Excess funds for manage-
ment costs made available to a grantee or sub-
grantee under paragraph (2) shall remain available 
to the grantee or subgrantee until the date that is 
5 years after the date on which the excess funds for 
management costs are made available under para-
graph (2).’’. 
(b) APPLICABILITY.—The amendments made by sub-
section (a) shall apply with respect to any grant award 
in relation to a major disaster or emergency declared 
under section 401 or 501, respectively, of the Robert T. 
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act 
(42 U.S.C. 5170, 5191)— 
(1) the declaration of which is made on or after 
the date of enactment of this Act; and 
(2) that is funded with amounts appropriated 
on or after the date of enactment of this Act. 
(c) GAO STUDY.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General 
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(d) NO ADDITIONAL FUNDS.—No additional funds 
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out the amend-
ments made by subsection (a). 
(e) TREATMENT OF MULTIPLE EVENTS STEMMING 
FROM SAME WILDFIRE.— 
(1) 
MAJOR
DISASTER
ASSISTANCE
PRO-
GRAMS.—Section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Dis-
aster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 
U.S.C. 5170) is amended— 
‘‘(d) WILDLAND FIRE MAJOR DISASTER DECLARA-
TION.—In the case of an initial wildland fire major dis-
aster declaration under this section, the declaration shall 
include any landslide, mudslide, flood, or other natural 
disaster event which stems from the wildland fire occuring 
within the 3-year period beginning on the first date of the 
wildland fire.’’. 
(2) EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS.—Sec-
tion 501 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 5191) is amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(d) WILDLAND FIRE MAJOR DISASTER DECLARA-
TION.—In the case of an initial wildland fire major dis-
aster declaration under this section, the declaration shall 
include any landslide, mudslide, flood, or other natural 
disaster event which stems from the wildland fire occuring 
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within the 3-year period beginning on the first date of the 
wildland fire.’’. 
(3) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made 
by this subsection shall apply with respect to events 
occurring after the date of the enactment of this 
Act. 
(f) FIRE MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM POL-
ICY.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency shall recommend such regulations or 
guidance as are necessary to make eligible assessments 
and emergency stabilization to protect public safety, in-
cluding for the fire management assistance program under 
section 420 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 
Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5187), irrespective 
of the incident period for a declared fire. 
(g) CHANGES
TO
PUBLIC
ASSISTANCE
POLICY 
GUIDE.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enact-
ment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Emer-
gency Management Agency shall amend the Public Assist-
ance Program and Policy Guide of the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency to include guidance on wildfire-spe-
cific recovery challenges, including debris removal, emer-
gency protective measures, and the resulting toxicity of 
drinking water resources. 
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(h) MITIGATION COST EFFECTIVENESS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Administrator of the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency shall con-
duct a review of the criteria for evaluating the cost 
effectiveness of projects intended to mitigate the im-
pacts of wildfire under sections 203 and 404 of the 
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5133; 5170c), includ-
ing— 
(A) the establishment of precalculated ben-
efits criterion for common defensible space miti-
gation projects for wildfire mitigation; 
(B) the use of nature-based infrastructure 
in wildfire mitigation; 
(C) considerations for vegetation manage-
ment for wildfire mitigation; 
(D) reducing the negative effects of wild-
fire smoke on public health; and 
(E) lessening the impact of wildfires on 
water infrastructure. 
(2) UPDATED CRITERIA.—Not later than 1 year 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Adminis-
trator shall issue such guidance as is necessary to— 
(A) update criteria for evaluating the cost 
effectiveness of mitigation projects under sec-
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tions 203 and 404 of the Robert T. Stafford 
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act 
(42 U.S.C. 5133; 5170c) based on the results 
of the review conducted under paragraph (1); 
and 
(B) prioritize such projects based on the 
criteria updated under subparagraph (A). 
SEC. 403. THE WILDLAND DYNAMIC RISK MAPPING PRO-
GRAM (REPORT RECOMMENDATION 118). 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of 
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
shall work jointly with the National Aeronautical and 
Space Agency, United States Geological Survey, United 
States Fire Administration, universities, and National 
Laboratories to— 
(1) develop dynamic risk and hazard maps for 
the wildland and built environments in the United 
States; and 
(2) ensure that such dynamic risk maps are up-
dated as required to reflect each wildfire season— 
(A) changes in the natural environment, 
such as postflood or fire alterations; 
(B) rapidly changing environmental condi-
tions; 
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(C) measure changes in fuels moisture on 
the temporal scale; and 
(D) utilize both remote sensing tech-
nologies and on the ground monitoring. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator of the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to 
carry out this section $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2025 through 2029. 
SEC. 404. IMPROVEMENTS TO GRANT PROGRAMS FOR COM-
MUNITY WILDFIRE RISK REDUCTION AND 
POSTFIRE 
RECOVERY 
EFFORTS 
(REPORT 
RECOMMENDATION 142). 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretaries shall, 
with respect to the grant programs for community wildfire 
risk reduction and postfire recovery efforts carried out by 
each such Secretary— 
(1) increase the accessibility of such grant pro-
grams; 
(2) reduce the complexity of the application 
process for grants under such programs, including— 
(A) by reducing the amount of information 
required to apply; and 
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(B) to the maximum extent practicable, en-
abling auto-populating fields in the online appli-
cations for such grants; 
(3) reduce administrative burden with respect 
to such grant programs, including by— 
(A) aligning program applications to re-
duce separate applications for similar programs; 
and 
(B) developing a common section for appli-
cations to reduce duplicative questions; 
(4) review the statutory and administrative bar-
riers that impede the ability of communities to 
quickly access funds under each such grant pro-
gram; 
(5) increase technical assistance provided to ap-
plicants, recipients, and subrecipients; and 
(6) increase outreach to potential applicants for 
such grant programs, including by— 
(A) providing appropriate dedicated staff 
to assist individuals and communities in identi-
fying and applying for grants under such grant 
programs; and 
(B) notifying potential applicants of eligi-
bility and open application seasons with respect 
to such grant programs. 
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(b) SECRETARIES DEFINED.—In this section, the 
term ‘‘Secretaries’’ means the Secretary of the Interior, 
the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of 
the Forest Service, the Administrator of the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency, the Administrator of the 
Small Business Administration, and the Administrator of 
the Environmental Protection Agency. 
SEC. 405. JOINT OFFICE OF THE FIRE ENVIRONMENT CEN-
TER (REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS 104, 105, 
106). 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than a 1 year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Adminis-
trator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad-
ministration shall establish a joint office, which shall 
be known as the ‘‘Joint Office of the Fire Environ-
ment Center’’. 
(2) STRUCTURE.—The Joint Office shall be 
comprised of the following branches: 
(A) TECHNOLOGY
AND
ENGINEERING.— 
Technology and Engineering, which shall— 
(i) focus on modeling and the building 
and testing of technology; and 
(ii) may enter into public-private part-
nerships. 
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(B) 
DATA
SERVICES.—Data 
Services, 
which shall— 
(i) be responsible for testing artificial 
intelligence and machine learning tech-
nologies to support managers, firefighters, 
and public health officials on the ground, 
including producing decision consequence 
data, modeling risk, and suggesting re-
sources based on fire and smoke conditions 
at the time and place of ignition detection; 
and 
(ii) working with State, local, and 
Tribal entities on data sharing. 
(C) ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION.—Analysis 
and Prediction. 
(D) EDUCATION
AND
CONSULTATION.— 
Education and Consultation, which shall be re-
sponsible for incident management. 
(E) OTHER.—Any other branch deter-
mined necessary or appropriate by the Board. 
(b) FUNCTIONS OF JOINT OFFICE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.— 
(A) AVAILABILITY OF PRODUCTS AND IN-
FORMATION.—The Joint Office shall make 
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available any products and information devel-
oped by the Joint Office to— 
(i) geographic area coordination cen-
ters; 
(ii) incident management teams; 
(iii) land managers; 
(iv) air quality and water provider 
agencies; 
(v) State, local, and Tribal govern-
ments; and 
(vi) public health agencies. 
(B) SERVICES AND SUPPORT.—The Joint 
Office shall provide real-time, science-based, 
and data-rich scientific and technical analytic 
services, decision support, and predictive serv-
ices to inform land and fuels management, com-
munity risk reduction, and fire management 
and response, including the following: 
(i) PREFIRE
MITIGATION
AND
RISK 
REDUCTION.—Prefire mitigation and risk 
reduction activities for landscapes and 
communities, including through assess-
ments and modeling of— 
(I) climate condition; 
(II) fuels; 
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(III) home ignition; 
(IV) 
structure-to-structure 
spread; and 
(V) values at risk. 
(ii) PUBLIC
HEALTH
AND
SAFETY 
DURING AND AFTER FIRE.—Activities that 
better protect public health and safety dur-
ing and after a fire, including mapping 
services and data provision to support 
evacuation decisions in communities at risk 
and air quality monitoring and forecast 
data to support health risk information 
that helps protect the public from smoke 
impacts associated with fire. 
(iii) FIRE
RESPONSE
AND
MANAGE-
MENT.—Fire response and management, 
including— 
(I) response preparedness and 
initial attack readiness for new fires; 
(II) deployment of response re-
sources; and 
(III) firefighter movement deci-
sions during active fire management. 
(iv) POSTFIRE
ACTIVITIES.—Postfire 
activities, including— 
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(I) vegetation recovery; 
(II) debris flows and flooding; 
(III) watershed protection; and 
(IV) ecosystem health. 
(C) COORDINATION OF FUNCTIONS.—The 
Administrator of the National Oceanic and At-
mospheric Administration, in coordination with 
each of the agencies specified in subparagraphs 
(B) through (J) of subsection (c)(1), shall oper-
ate as a collective entity to produce accessible 
products and services for a variety of users and 
uses in fire management, including by— 
(i) developing timely, manager-focused 
models, technologies, assessments, and 
forecasts to support fire operational deci-
sionmaking, and short- and long-term fire 
planning; and 
(ii) integrating the existing specialties 
of the constituent land management, com-
munity preparedness, and public health 
agencies. 
(2) TECHNOLOGICAL COMMON OPERATING EN-
VIRONMENT.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Joint Office shall 
develop a technological common operating envi-
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ronment for practitioners across the spectrum 
of risk mitigation, prescribed fire, response, and 
postdisaster response to shepherd the creation 
of highly dynamic decision support tools. 
(B) PUBLIC HEALTH INFORMATION.—The 
Joint Office shall ensure that public health in-
formation that is essential to integrate into this 
common operating environment is provided to 
ensure its products accurately reflect the depth 
and breadth of the wildfire issues. Information 
provided shall include air quality data and fore-
casts and information pertaining to the built 
environment. 
(c) BOARD OF THE JOINT OFFICE.— 
(1) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—The Joint 
Office shall be governed by a board, comprised of 12 
members, as follows: 
(A) One member who is a career employee 
of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad-
ministration, appointed by the Administrator of 
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin-
istration. 
(B) One member who is a career employee 
of the United States Fire Administration, ap-
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pointed by the Administrator of the United 
States Fire Administration. 
(C) One member who is a career employee 
of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, 
appointed by the Administrator of the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency. 
(D) One member who is a career employee 
of the National Weather Service, appointed by 
the Director of the National Weather Service. 
(E) One member who is a career employee 
of the Forest Service, appointed by the Chief of 
the Forest Service. 
(F) One member who is a career employee 
of the Department of the Interior, appointed by 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
(G) One member who is a career employee 
of the Bureau of Land Management, appointed 
by the Director of the Bureau of Land Manage-
ment. 
(H) One member who is a career employee 
of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, appointed by 
the Director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. 
(I) One member who is a career employee 
of the National Park Service, appointed by the 
Director of the National Park Service. 
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(iv) the members appointed under 
subparagraphs (C) and (E) of paragraph 
(1) shall be appointed for terms of 4 years. 
(C) VACANCIES.—Any member appointed 
to fill a vacancy occurring before the expiration 
of the term for which the member’s predecessor 
was appointed shall be appointed only for the 
remainder of that term. A member may serve 
after the expiration of that member’s term until 
a successor has taken office. A vacancy in the 
Board shall be filled in the manner in which the 
original appointment was made. 
(3) PROHIBITION OF COMPENSATION OF FED-
ERAL EMPLOYEES.—Members of the Board who are 
career employees of the United States may not re-
ceive additional pay, allowances, or benefits by rea-
son of their service on the Board. 
(4) TRAVEL
EXPENSES.—Each member shall 
receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of 
subsistence, in accordance with applicable provisions 
under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United 
States Code. 
(5) QUORUM.—7 members of the Board shall 
constitute a quorum. 
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(6) CHAIRPERSON; VICE
CHAIRPERSON.—The 
Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of the Board 
shall be elected by the members of the Board. The 
term of office of the Chairperson and Vice Chair-
person shall be 1 year. 
(7) MEETINGS.—The Board shall meet at least 
quarterly and at a call of a majority of its members. 
(d) DIRECTOR AND STAFF OF JOINT OFFICE; EX-
PERTS AND CONSULTANTS.— 
(1) DIRECTOR.—The Joint Office shall have a 
Director who shall be appointed by the Board. To 
the extent or in the amounts provided in advance in 
appropriation Acts, the Director shall be paid at a 
rate of basic pay not to exceed the rate of basic pay 
for level II of the Executive Schedule. The budget 
and decisionmaking authority for the Joint Office is 
vested in the Director. 
(2) CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER, CHIEF FI-
NANCIAL
OFFICER, CHIEF
TECHNOLOGY
OFFICER, 
AND
CHIEF
OPERATING
OFFICER.—With the ap-
proval of the Board, the Director may appoint a 
Chief Information Officer, Chief Financial Officer, 
Chief Technology Officer, and Chief Operating Offi-
cer. 
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(3) STAFF.—With the approval of the Board, 
the Director may appoint at least 100 personnel and 
may appoint such additional personnel as the Direc-
tor considers appropriate. 
(4) APPLICABILITY OF CERTAIN CIVIL SERVICE 
LAWS.—The Director and staff of the Joint Office 
shall be appointed subject to the provisions of title 
5, United States Code, governing appointments in 
the competitive service, and shall be paid in accord-
ance with the provisions of chapter 51 and sub-
chapter III of chapter 53 of that title relating to 
classification and General Schedule pay rates. 
(5) EXPERTS
AND
CONSULTANTS.—With the 
approval of the Joint Office, the Director may pro-
cure temporary and intermittent services under sec-
tion 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, but at 
rates for individuals not to exceed the daily equiva-
lent of the maximum annual rate of basic pay under 
the General Schedule. 
(6) STAFF OF FEDERAL AGENCIES.—Upon re-
quest of the Director, the head of any Federal de-
partment or agency may detail, on a reimbursable 
basis, any of the personnel of that department or 
agency to the Joint Office to assist it in carrying out 
its duties under this Act. 
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(e) CONTRACT AUTHORITY.—The Joint Office may 
contract with and compensate government and private 
agencies or persons for supplies and services. 
(f) CONSULTATION.—In carrying out its functions 
under this section, the Joint Office is encouraged to con-
sult with and share relevant data with the Environmental 
Protection Agency, the National Aeronautical and Space 
Agency, the United States Geological Survey, and the Cen-
ters for Disease Control and Prevention. 
(g) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section, the 
following definitions shall apply: 
(1) JOINT OFFICE.—The term ‘‘Joint Office’’ 
means the Joint Office of the Fire Environment 
Center established under subsection (a)(1). 
(2) BOARD.—The term ‘‘Board’’ means the 
Board of the Joint Office established by subsection 
(c). 
(3) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means 
the Director of the Joint Office required by sub-
section (d). 
(h) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator of the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to 
carry out this section $150,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2025 through 2034. 
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SEC. 406. INTERAGENCY DATA COLLABORATION ENVIRON-
MENT (REPORT RECOMMENDATION 107). 
(a) EXPANSION
OF INFORMATION SYSTEM.—Not 
later than a 1 year after the date of the enactment of 
this Act, the Administrator of the United States Fire Ad-
ministration shall expand the National Emergency Re-
sponse Information System to include real-time informa-
tion and analytics tools relating to prescribed fires as well 
as wildfires that do not impact structures and infrastruc-
ture. The expansion of this system shall be compatible 
with, and shared with, existing wildland fire information 
collection at the Fire Environment Center established 
under section 405. 
(b) WILDFIRE DIGITAL DATA CENTER.— 
(1) CREATION.—The Administrator of the 
United States Fire Administration shall create a 
data center to be known as the ‘‘Wildfire Digital 
Data Center’’. The Wildfire Digital Data Center 
shall be a public, government, scientific research 
data catalog and repository available to assist the 
wildfire communities research and share data. 
(2) DATA AND MODELING COLLABORATION EN-
VIRONMENT.—The Wildfire Digital Data Center 
shall provide a data and modeling collaboration envi-
ronment for researchers across the wildfire commu-
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nity to engage with data across agencies and dis-
ciplines. 
(3) OPEN
ACCESS.—The Administrator shall 
ensure that the Wildfire Digital Data Center is in 
compliance with the guidance on public access poli-
cies as specified in the Memorandum from the Office 
of Science and Technology Policy of the Executive 
Office of the President that was issued on August 
25, 2022. 
(4) INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN WILD-
FIRE
DIGITAL
DATA
CENTER
REPOSITORY.—The 
Wildfire Digital Data Center shall include in its re-
pository information on the following areas: 
(A) Outcomes and impacts of wildfire and 
associated management actions. 
(B) Real-time data on new fire starts. 
(C) The effectiveness of wildfire risk miti-
gation measures. 
(D) Public health research related to 
wildland fire and fires in the built environment. 
(5) 
INFORMATION
TO
BE
INCLUDED
ON 
WEBSITE.—The Administrator of the United States 
Fire Administration shall coordinate with the Sec-
retary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of 
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the Forest Service, to include on the publicly acces-
sible website of the Wildfire Digital Data Center— 
(A) information on postwildfire impacts 
and State and Federal programs and funding 
opportunities to address such impacts; 
(B) State and Federal best practices relat-
ing to the short- and long-term mitigation of 
wildfire; and 
(C) with respect to wildfire, information on 
ecological recovery, assessment science, and 
State and Federal emergency declaration proc-
esses. 
(6) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this 
section shall be construed to affect the ownership of 
individual agencies over their data sources. 
(c) FINDABLE, ACCESSIBLE, INTEROPERABLE, AND 
REUSABLE REQUIREMENT.— 
(1) ACCESS REQUIREMENT FOR U.S. DEPART-
MENT OF THE INTERIOR LIBRARY ALONG WITH THE 
NATIONAL EMERGENCY TRAINING CENTER LIBRARY 
AND
NATIONAL
FOREST
SERVICE
LIBRARY.— 
Through the Wildfire Digital Data Center, the U.S. 
Department of the Interior Library along with the 
National Emergency Training Center Library and 
National Forest Service Library shall provide serv-
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ices to make federally funded wildland and struc-
tural fire research data systems and data products 
findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable 
(FAIR). 
(2) The services required by subparagraph (A) 
shall be integrated with the National Emergency Re-
sponse Information System of the United States 
Fire Administration to better collect data and model 
the built environment. 
(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2034. 
SEC. 407. REQUIREMENTS RELATED TO PAYMENT TIMING 
FOR 
CERTAIN 
PROGRAMS 
ADDRESSING 
WILDFIRE 
DAMAGES 
(REPORT 
REC-
OMMENDATION 61). 
(a) EMERGENCY FOREST RESTORATION PROGRAM.— 
Section 407(b) of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 (16 
U.S.C. 2206) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘The’’ and inserting the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(2) PAYMENTS
FOR
EMERGENCY
MEASURES 
TO ADDRESS WILDFIRE.—In the case of an applica-
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tion for a payment by an owner of nonindustrial pri-
vate forest land who carries out emergency measures 
to restore the land after the land is damaged by a 
wildfire, if the Secretary approves such application, 
the Secretary shall provide payment to such owner 
not later than 90 days after the date on which the 
application was submitted to the Secretary.’’. 
(b) EMERGENCY WATERSHED PROGRAM.—Section 
403 of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 
2203) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(c) PAYMENTS FOR EMERGENCY WATERSHED PRO-
TECTION MEASURES TO ADDRESS WILDFIRE DAMAGE.— 
In the case of an application for a payment for emergency 
watershed protection measures addressing a sudden im-
pairment of a watershed caused by a wildfire, if the Sec-
retary approves such application, the Secretary shall pro-
vide such payment not later than 90 days after the date 
on which the application was submitted to the Secretary.’’. 
(c) COMMUNITY FACILITIES DIRECT LOAN
AND 
GRANT PROGRAMS.— 
(1) 
DIRECT
LOAN
PROGRAM.—Section 
306(a)(1) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural De-
velopment Act (7 U.S.C. 1926(a)(19)) is amended 
by adding at the end the following: ‘‘If the Secretary 
approves an application for an essential community 
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facilities loan under this paragraph that is submitted 
by an owner of nonindustrial private forest land (as 
defined in section 407 of the Agricultural Credit Act 
of 1978) who carries out emergency measures (as 
defined in such section) to restore the land after the 
land is damaged by a wildfire and the Secretary ap-
proves the application, the Secretary shall provide 
the loan to the owner within 90 days after date the 
application is submitted.’’ 
(2) GRANT PROGRAM.—Section 306(a)(19) of 
such Act (7 U.S.C. 1926(a)(19)) is amended by add-
ing at the end the following: 
‘‘(C) PAYMENTS FOR EMERGENCY MEAS-
URES TO ADDRESS WILDFIRE.—If the Secretary 
approves an application for a grant under this 
paragraph that is submitted by an owner of 
nonindustrial private forest land (as defined in 
section 407 of the Agricultural Credit Act of 
1978) who carries out emergency measures (as 
defined in such section) to restore the land 
after the land is damaged by a wildfire and the 
Secretary approves the application, the Sec-
retary shall provide the grant to the owner 
within 90 days after date the application is sub-
mitted.’’. 
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(d) DISASTER
RELIEF
AND
MITIGATION
PRO-
GRAMS.—The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 
Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) is 
amended— 
(1) in section 203, by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(m) ASSISTANCE FOR WILDFIRE MITIGATION.—If 
the President approves an application for financial assist-
ance under this section to implement predisaster hazard 
mitigation measures related to the mitigation of wildfires, 
the President shall provide such assistance within 90 days 
after the date such application is submitted.’’; 
(2) in section 404, by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(h) ASSISTANCE FOR WILDFIRE MITIGATION.—If 
the President approves an application for hazard mitiga-
tion assistance under this section that is related to the 
mitigation of wildfires, the President shall provide such 
assistance within 90 days after the date such application 
is submitted.’’; 
(3) in section 407(e), by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(3) PAYMENTS RELATED TO WILDFIRE.—Not-
withstanding the requirements of paragraphs (1) 
and (2), if the President approves an application for 
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a grant under this section to remove debris or 
wreckage resulting from a wildfire, such grant shall 
be paid in full no later than the date that is 90 days 
after the last day such wildfire occurred.’’. 
(4) in section 408— 
(A) by redesignating subsections (i) and (j) 
as subsections (j) and (k), respectively; and 
(B) by inserting after subsection (h) the 
following: 
‘‘(i) PAYMENTS RELATED
TO WILDFIRE.—If the 
President approves an application for financial assistance 
under this section for necessary expenses or serious needs 
related to a wildfire, the President shall provide such as-
sistance within 90 days after the last day such wildfire 
occurred.’’. 
(e) SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION DISASTER 
LOAN PROGRAM.—The Small Business Administration 
Disaster Loan program under Section 7(b) of the Small 
Business Act (15 U.S.C. 636(b)) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating the second paragraph (16) 
(relating to statute of limitations) as paragraph 
(17); and 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (17) (as so re-
designated), the following new paragraph: 
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‘‘(18) EMERGENCY
MEASURES
TO
ADDRESS 
WILDFIRE.—If the Administrator approves an appli-
cation for a loan under this subsection that is sub-
mitted by an owner of nonindustrial private forest 
land (as defined in section 407 of the Agricultural 
Credit Act of 1978) who carries out emergency 
measures (as defined in such section) to restore the 
land after the land is damaged by a wildfire, the Ad-
ministrator shall ensure that such loan is disbursed 
not later than 90 days after date of such approval.’’. 
Æ 
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