I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 6154 
To provide for the establishment of regional wildland fire research centers, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 19, 2025 
Mr. MIN (for himself and Mr. EVANS of Colorado) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in 
addition to the Committees on Agriculture, and Science, Space, and Tech-
nology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdic-
tion of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To provide for the establishment of regional wildland fire 
research centers, 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 ‘‘Regional Leadership 
in Wildland Fire Research Act of 2025’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
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(1) 
APPROPRIATE
COMMITTEES
OF
CON-
GRESS.—The term ‘‘appropriate committees of Con-
gress’’ means— 
(A) the Committee on Agriculture, Nutri-
tion, and Forestry, the Committee on Energy 
and Natural Resources, and the Committee on 
Appropriations of the Senate; 
(B) the Committee on Agriculture, the 
Committee on Natural Resources, and the Com-
mittee on Appropriations of the House of Rep-
resentatives; and 
(C) any other committee of Congress with 
the authority to facilitate the development of 
wildland fire research. 
(2) BOARD.—The term ‘‘Board’’ means the Na-
tional Center Coordination Board established by sec-
tion 3(c)(1). 
(3) CAREER
PATHWAY.—The term ‘‘career 
pathway’’ has the meaning given that term in sec-
tion 3 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity 
Act (29 U.S.C. 3102). 
(4) CHIEF.—The term ‘‘Chief’’ means the Chief 
of the Forest Service. 
(5) FEDERAL
SCIENCE
AGENCY.—The term 
‘‘Federal science agency’’ has the meaning given 
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that term in section 103(f) of the America COM-
PETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 
6623(f)). 
(6) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Indian Tribe’’ 
has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the 
Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance 
Act (25 U.S.C. 5304). 
(7) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The 
term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the 
meaning given that term in section 101(a) of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)). 
(8) LAND-GRANT
COLLEGES
AND
UNIVER-
SITIES.—The term ‘‘land-grant colleges and univer-
sities’’ has the meaning given that term in section 
1404 of the National Agricultural Research, Exten-
sion, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 
3103). 
(9) 
MINORITY-SERVING
INSTITUTION.—The 
term ‘‘minority-serving institution’’ means an insti-
tution defined in any of paragraphs (1) through (7) 
of section 371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(a)). 
(10) NATIONAL LABORATORY.—The term ‘‘Na-
tional Laboratory’’ has the meaning given that term 
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in section 2 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 
U.S.C. 15801). 
(11) REGIONAL CENTER.—The term ‘‘regional 
center’’ means a regional wildland fire research cen-
ter established under section 3. 
(12) SECRETARIES.—The term ‘‘Secretaries’’ 
means the Secretary of Agriculture and the Sec-
retary of the Interior. 
(13) TRIBAL ORGANIZATION.—The term ‘‘Trib-
al organization’’ has the meaning given that term in 
section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Edu-
cation Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304). 
(14) WILDLAND
FIRE.—The term ‘‘wildland 
fire’’ means any non-structure fire that occurs in 
vegetation or natural fuels and includes wildfires 
originating from an unplanned ignition or prescribed 
fire. 
(15) WILDLAND
FIRE
MANAGEMENT
AGEN-
CIES.—The term ‘‘wildland fire management agen-
cies’’ means— 
(A) the Forest Service; 
(B) the Bureau of Land Management; 
(C) the National Park Service; 
(D) the United States Fish and Wildlife 
Service; and 
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(E) the Bureau of Indian Affairs. 
(16) WILDLAND
FIRE
RESEARCH.—The term 
‘‘wildland fire research’’ means research to better 
understand— 
(A) the causes and consequences of 
wildland fires, including antecedent and con-
temporaneous factors that increase the risk of 
catastrophic events; 
(B) the spread and behavior of wildland 
fires, including fires in the wildland-urban 
interface; 
(C) the efficacy of mitigation strategies for 
wildland fires; 
(D) the impact of wildland fires on public 
health, safety, and the environment; 
(E) the rehabilitation and restoration of 
affected ecosystems after wildland fires; and 
(F) the development of mitigation strate-
gies and techniques to improve the safety of 
wildland fire managers and firefighters. 
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF REGIONAL WILDLAND FIRE 
RESEARCH CENTERS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretaries shall establish a 
competitive process for the selection and establishment of 
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regional wildland fire research centers in accordance with 
subsection (b). 
(b) SELECTION AND ESTABLISHMENT OF REGIONAL 
CENTERS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretaries shall select 
not fewer than 8 institutions of higher education or 
land-grant colleges and universities at which to es-
tablish, in accordance with the timeline described in 
paragraph (2), regional centers to coordinate the de-
velopment of wildland fire research. 
(2) TIMELINE.—In establishing regional centers 
under paragraph (1), the Secretaries shall estab-
lish— 
(A) as soon as practicable after the date of 
enactment of this Act, subject to the availability 
of appropriations, a pilot program under which 
not fewer than 2 regional centers shall be estab-
lished; and 
(B) not later than 2 years after the date 
on which the pilot program is established under 
subparagraph (A), the remaining regional cen-
ters. 
(3) CRITERIA FOR SELECTION.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—In establishing a re-
gional center at an institution of higher edu-
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cation or land-grant college or university under 
this section, the Secretaries shall prioritize the 
selection of institutions, colleges, or universities 
that meet not fewer than one of the following 
criteria: 
(i) Have existing programs of record 
in wildland fire research. 
(ii) Have existing partnerships with 
research institutions of the Federal Gov-
ernment and other academic institutions 
and entities relating to wildland fire re-
search. 
(iii) Participate in or lead a program 
under the Joint Fire Science Program. 
(iv) Are a minority-serving institution. 
(B) REGIONS.—The Secretaries shall es-
tablish not fewer than 1 regional center in each 
of the following regions of the United States, as 
defined by the Secretaries: 
(i) Alaska. 
(ii) California. 
(iii) The Pacific Northwest. 
(iv) The Pacific Islands. 
(v) The Plains and Northeast. 
(vi) The Rockies. 
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(vii) The Southeast. 
(viii) The Southwest. 
(4) PURPOSE.—Each regional center, with re-
spect to the region covered by the regional center, 
shall— 
(A) to the extent practical, coordinate re-
search with other wildland fire research entities, 
such as other academic institutions, the Envi-
ronmental Protection Agency, the National Oce-
anic and Atmospheric Administration, the Na-
tional Science Foundation, the National Aero-
nautics and Space Administration, the Depart-
ment of Energy, the research and development 
program of the Forest Service, the National 
Laboratories, the United States Geological Sur-
vey, and State and regional research organiza-
tions; 
(B) improve the understanding of wildland 
fire through wildland fire research that can be 
applied by wildland fire management agencies; 
(C) develop technologies and other tools to 
understand, monitor, and predict wildland fire, 
including— 
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(i) models to predict fire potential and 
the spread and behavior of wildland fire 
and smoke; 
(ii) models to predict how vegetation 
will respond to changes in the environment 
and wildland fire; 
(iii) the integration of technologies to 
predict the spread and behavior of wildland 
fire and smoke in as near-real-time as pos-
sible; and 
(iv) other innovations to be integrated 
into operational decision support systems 
relating to wildland fire, such as the 
Wildland Fire Decision Support System 
and the Interagency Fuel Treatment Deci-
sion Support System; 
(D) develop technologies and other tools to 
safely support land management activities to re-
duce the severity of wildland fire; 
(E) leverage predictive capabilities to re-
duce the impact of smoke on communities and 
wildfire incident management teams, including 
wildland firefighters; 
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(F) improve the understanding of post-fire 
risk to the landscape, including flash flooding 
potential and watershed impacts; 
(G) test and operate models to support 
land management decision-making, including 
through— 
(i) operating models to support man-
agement of wildland fire and vegetation; 
(ii) the demonstration of integration 
technologies to support management of 
wildland fire in as near-real-time as pos-
sible; and 
(iii) the incorporation of decision 
science and social science that examines 
the perception and adoption of information 
related to wildland fire risk; 
(H) develop a career pathway training pro-
gram with respect to carrying out wildland fire 
research; 
(I) develop data management protocols to 
allow for full and open exchange of data pursu-
ant to the principles of findability, accessibility, 
interoperability, and reusability (commonly re-
ferred to as the ‘‘FAIR principles’’) and archive 
and access that data; 
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(J) develop training programs for pre-
scribed fire implementation; and 
(K) make its work and data fully and 
openly available. 
(c) NATIONAL CENTER COORDINATION BOARD.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established a 
coordination board, to be known as the ‘‘National 
Center Coordination Board’’. 
(2) COMPOSITION.— 
(A) MEMBERS.— 
(i) IN GENERAL.—The Board shall be 
composed of one member representing each 
regional center. 
(ii) APPOINTMENT.—Each member 
under clause (i) shall be selected by the 
relevant regional center. 
(B) CHAIR.—The Administrator and the 
Chief shall serve as the Co-Chairs of the Board. 
(3) DUTIES.—The Board shall— 
(A) establish wildland fire science, data 
management, and sharing protocols, and tech-
nological research priorities in cooperation with 
each regional center and informed by the oper-
ational needs of wildland fire management 
agencies; 
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(B) coordinate data collection efforts sup-
porting the efforts of each regional center, in-
cluding— 
(i) building data layers across each re-
gion described in subsection (b)(2)(B); and 
(ii) providing updates on the develop-
ment of wildland fire research models; 
(C) ensure the coordination of, and avoid 
unnecessary duplication of, the activities of the 
regional centers and the activities of institutions 
of higher education, land-grant colleges and 
universities, Federal science agencies, and State 
research organizations with respect to wildland 
fire research, including— 
(i) the National Oceanic and Atmos-
pheric Administration; 
(ii) the National Laboratories; 
(iii) the National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration; 
(iv) the Environmental Protection 
Agency; 
(v) the United States Fire Adminis-
tration; 
(vi) the United States Geological Sur-
vey; and 
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(vii) any other relevant entity with 
specialized expertise in wildland fire re-
search; and 
(D) support end-to-end applications that 
assist wildland fire management agencies in 
adopting technologies and incorporating re-
search findings produced by the regional cen-
ters. 
(4) MEETINGS.— 
(A) BOARD MEETINGS.—The Board shall 
meet quarterly. 
(B) PUBLIC MEETINGS.— 
(i) IN
GENERAL.—The Board shall 
hold public meetings with affected stake-
holders to solicit information from the gen-
eral public regarding the development and 
implications of wildland fire research. 
(ii) FREQUENCY.—Not less frequently 
than annually, the Board shall hold at 
least one public meeting in each State cov-
ered by a region described in subsection 
(b)(2)(B). 
(5) TERM.—A member of the Board shall be 
appointed for a term of 4 years, except that of the 
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members first appointed, the Secretaries shall en-
sure that approximately— 
(A) 1⁄3 of members are appointed for a 
term of 4 years; 
(B) 1⁄3 of members are appointed for a 
term of 3 years; and 
(C) 1⁄3 of members are appointed for a 
term of 2 years. 
(6) VACANCIES.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—A vacancy on the 
Board— 
(i) shall not affect the powers of the 
Board; and 
(ii) shall be filled in the same manner 
as the original appointment was made by 
not later than 180 days after the date on 
which the vacancy occurs. 
(B) FILLING UNEXPIRED TERM.—An indi-
vidual chosen to fill a vacancy shall be ap-
pointed for the unexpired term of the member 
replaced. 
(7) RECOMMENDATIONS.—Not less frequently 
than annually, the Board shall submit to the Secre-
taries recommendations to improve wildland fire re-
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search to be included in the report described in sub-
section (e). 
(d) ADVISORY BOARDS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In accordance with chapter 
10 of title 5, United States Code (commonly referred 
to as the ‘‘Federal Advisory Committee Act’’), the 
Secretaries shall establish at each regional center an 
advisory board, to be known as the ‘‘Regional Advi-
sory Board’’, to carry out the duties described in 
paragraph (4). 
(2) COMPOSITION.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Each Regional Advi-
sory Board shall consist of members, who shall 
be from, or have responsibility covering, the re-
gion covered by the relevant regional center, in-
cluding at minimum— 
(i) 1 regional representative from each 
wildland fire management agency, ap-
pointed by that agency; 
(ii) 1 representative a State govern-
ment agency from each State located in 
that region with expertise in forestry and 
wildland fire mitigation and management, 
appointed by the Governor of that State; 
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(iii) 1 representative from an Indian 
Tribe or Tribal organization from that re-
gion with expertise in forestry and wildland 
fire mitigation and management on Tribal 
or Federal land, appointed by the Secre-
taries; and 
(iv) additional representatives elected 
under subparagraph (B)(ii). 
(B) ELECTED MEMBERSHIP.— 
(i) SUBCOMMITTEE.—Each Regional 
Advisory Board shall solicit and approve, 
on at least an annual basis, nominations 
for individuals with operational expertise in 
wildland fire mitigation and management 
to serve as a representative on a sub-
committee to the Regional Advisory Board 
for the purposes of clause (ii), composed of 
not more than 15 individuals, including 
representatives from, as applicable— 
(I) institutions of higher edu-
cation or land-grant colleges and uni-
versities; 
(II) nongovernmental organiza-
tions; 
(III) private industry; 
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(IV) the wildland firefighter com-
munity, including organizations that 
represent the interests of wildland 
firefighters; and 
(V) Southwest Ecological Res-
toration Institutes established under 
section 5(a) of the Southwest Forest 
Health and Wildfire Prevention Act of 
2004 (16 U.S.C. 6704(a)). 
(ii) ELECTION.—The subcommittee 
described in clause (i) for a Regional Advi-
sory Board may elect a member or mem-
bers of the subcommittee to serve as a 
member of the Regional Advisory Board 
under subparagraph (A)(iv) for a 2-year 
term. 
(3) COMPENSATION.—Each member of a Re-
gional Advisory Board shall serve on a voluntary 
basis without compensation. 
(4) DUTIES.—Each Regional Advisory Board 
shall— 
(A) ensure and support the coordination of 
wildland fire research between the relevant re-
gional center and Federal and State land man-
agement agencies in that region; 
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not later than 180 days after the date on 
which the vacancy occurs. 
(B) FILLING UNEXPIRED TERM.—An indi-
vidual chosen to fill a vacancy shall be ap-
pointed for the unexpired term of the member 
replaced. 
(e) REPORT ON WILDLAND FIRE RESEARCH.—Not 
later than each of 2 years and 4 years after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Secretaries, in consultation 
with the Board, shall submit to the appropriate commit-
tees of Congress a report describing— 
(1) the progress each regional center has made 
in the development of wildland fire research; and 
(2) recommendations to improve wildland fire 
research. 
(f) CONSULTATION.—In carrying out the require-
ments of this section, the Secretaries shall consult with— 
(1) Federal science agencies; and 
(2) the Office of Science and Technology Policy. 
(g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.— 
(A) 
REGIONAL
CENTERS.—For 
estab-
lishing and administering the regional centers 
established under subsection (a), there is au-
thorized to be appropriated— 
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(i) $60,000,000 for fiscal year 2026; 
(ii) $61,000,000 for fiscal year 2027; 
(iii) $62,000,000 for fiscal year 2028; 
(iv) $63,000,000 for fiscal year 2029; 
and 
(v) $64,000,000 for fiscal year 2030. 
(B) BOARD.—For the Board established 
under subsection (c), there is authorized to be 
appropriated $1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2026 through 2030. 
(2) ELIGIBLE USE OF FUNDS.—A regional cen-
ter may use amounts appropriated pursuant to an 
authorization of appropriations under paragraph 
(1)(A) for construction or the acquisition of equip-
ment necessary to carry out the requirements of this 
Act. 
(3) FLEXIBILITY.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Subject to subpara-
graph (B), the Secretaries shall adjust appro-
priations under paragraph (1) between the re-
gional centers established under subsection (a) 
as needed to account for differences in adminis-
trative costs and research challenges specific to 
a particular region. 
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(B) NOTICE.—Before adjusting appropria-
tions under subparagraph (A) for a fiscal year, 
the Administrator shall— 
(i) include that adjustment in the 
budget justification materials submitted by 
the Administrator and the Chief in support 
of the budget of the President (as sub-
mitted to Congress under section 1105 of 
title 31, United States Code) for that fiscal 
year; and 
(ii) provide notice of that adjustment 
to the appropriate committees of Congress. 
(4) TRANSFER OF FUNDS.—A Federal science 
agency may transfer, as necessary, additional appro-
priated amounts to a regional center for the purpose 
of carrying out wildland fire research described in 
subsection (b)(3)(B). 
Æ 
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