To require the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out activities to suppress wildfires, and for other purposes.

Bill: 118-hr-934
Sponsor: Rep. McClintock, Tom [R-CA-5]
Introduced: 2023-02-09 in the House
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Emergency planning and evacuation
Fires
First responders and emergency personnel
Forests, forestry, trees

Summary:
action_date: 2023-02-09
text: 
This bill sets out requirements for wildfire suppression and management activities carried out by the Forest Service.

These requirements apply to Forest Service land that (1) has a severe, extreme, or exceptional drought intensity rating; (2) has a National Wildland Fire Preparedness level of 5 (i.e., the highest level of wildland fire activity); or (3) is located in a fireshed ranked in the top 10% of wildfire exposure.

Within 24 hours of detecting a wildfire on covered Forest Service land, the service must use all available resources to extinguish the wildfire. Additionally, the service may not inhibit the firefighting activities of state and local agencies that are authorized to respond to wildfires on covered Forest Service land.

Further, the service may not initiate a backfire or burnout as part of a fire suppression strategy unless it is ordered by the responsible incident commander or is necessary to protect the health and safety of firefighting personnel. The service must use all available resources to control any initiated fire until it is extinguished.

The bill also limits the service's use of prescribed fires (i.e., the controlled application of fire by a team of experts under specified weather conditions to restore health to ecosystems that depend on fire). The service must comply with all applicable laws and regulations concerning prescribed fires and must immediately suppress a prescribed fire that exceeds its prescription.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2024-12-18
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 118-924, Part I.
action_date: 2024-12-18
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 118-924, Part I.
action_date: 2023-09-20
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2023-09-20
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
action_date: 2023-09-20
text: Subcommittee on Federal Lands Discharged
action_date: 2023-05-23
text: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
action_date: 2023-03-09
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Forestry.
action_date: 2023-02-21
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Lands.
action_date: 2023-02-09
text: 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.
action_date: 2023-02-09
text: 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.
action_date: 2023-02-09
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2023-02-09
text: Introduced in House