I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5010 
To direct the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin-
istration to maintain a program that improves wildfire forecasting and 
detection, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
AUGUST 13, 2021 
Mr. GARCIA
of California (for himself, Mrs. KIM
of California, Ms. 
BROWNLEY, and Ms. CHU) introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred 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. 
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 ‘‘Fire Information and 
Reaction Enhancement Act’’ or the ‘‘FIRE Act’’. 
SEC. 2. WILDFIRE FORECASTING AND DETECTION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator of the Na-
tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in col-
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laboration with the United States weather industry and 
such academic entities as the Administrator considers ap-
propriate, shall establish and maintain a program within 
such Administration to improve wildfire forecasting and 
detection. 
(b) GOALS.—The goals of the program maintained 
under subsection (a) shall be to develop and extend accu-
rate wildfire forecasts and warnings in order to reduce loss 
of life, injury, property, and damage to the economy, with 
a focus on— 
(1) improving the prediction of intensification 
and spread of wildfires; 
(2) improving the forecast and communication 
of smoke dispersion from wildfires; 
(3) improving information dissemination and 
risk communication to create more effective watch 
and warning products; and 
(4) improving the early detection of wildfires to 
contain their growth and mitigate damages. 
(c) ELEMENTS.—In order to meet the goals outlined 
in subsection (b), the Administrator is authorized to con-
duct development, testing, and deployment activities re-
lated to— 
(1) advanced satellite detection products; 
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(2) grid-based assessments and outlooks of fuel 
moisture and danger levels; 
(3) coupled atmosphere and fire modeling sys-
tems; 
(4) systems to link climate predictions to 
achievable land management decisions; and 
(5) improved spatial and temporal resolution 
observations in high latitudes. 
(d) CONSTRUCTION AUTHORIZATION.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after the enactment of this Act, the Assistant Ad-
ministrator for the Office of Oceanic and Atmos-
pheric Research shall establish a program to create 
one or more weather research testbeds, in partner-
ship with industry and academic partners, to develop 
improved detection of and forecast capabilities for 
wildfire events and their impacts. 
(2) RESOURCES.—In carrying out the program 
under paragraph (1), the Assistant Administrator 
may not take resources for such testbeds from the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
cooperative institutes in existence as of the date of 
enactment of this Act. 
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(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated $15,000,000 for fiscal year 
2022 to carry out the program under subsection (d). 
Æ 
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