S. 2015

National Prescribed Fire Act of 2025

Sponsor: Ron Wyden

5 cosponsors
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Official summary

Written by the Congressional Research Service.

National Prescribed Fire Act of 2025

    This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of the Interior to increase the number and size of prescribed fires conducted on federal lands.

    For 10 years, Interior and USDA must annually conduct prescribed fires on federal land so that the total acreage where prescribed fires are conducted is 10% greater than the previous fiscal year. 

    Interior and USDA must establish a collaborative prescribed fire program to provide financial assistance to eligible entities to conduct prescribed fires in priority landscapes.

    Interior and USDA may enter into cooperative agreements or contracts with states, Indian tribes, counties, municipal governments, fire districts, nongovernmental organizations, or private entities to coordinate prescribed fires on federal land.

    Interior and USDA must expand employment opportunities for prescribed fire practitioners, including by expanding hazard pay, supporting underrepresented groups, and establishing additional training centers. 

    To address the public health and safety risk of the expanded use of prescribed fire, the Environmental Protection Agency must coordinate with state, tribal, and local air quality agencies to support the environmental review of wildland fires.

    Text of the bill

    Expand all

    I Use of funds

    II Facilitating implementation and outreach

    III Reporting

    Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents Changed · Sep 17

    Where this section came from

    1. Jun 10, 2025 · Introduced in Senate Referred to Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Jun 10, 2025
    2. Sep 17, 2026 · Reported to Senate Marked up by Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Dec 17, 2025 Reported by Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Sep 17 Committee members' individual votes aren't in our records.
    What changed in the text

    (a) Short title. This Act may be cited as the National Prescribed Fire Act of 2025.

    (b) Table of contents. The table of contents for this Act is as follows: Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. Sec. 2. Definitions. TITLE I—Use of funds Sec fundsSec . 101. Definition of prescribed fire. Sec. 102. Prescribed fire funding. Sec. 103 102 . Policies and practices. Sec. 104 103 . Collaborative Prescribed Fire Program. TITLE II—Facilitating implementation and outreach Sec outreachSec . 201. Cooperative agreements and contracts. Sec. 202. Human resources. Sec. 203. Liability of prescribed fire managers. Sec. 204. Environmental review. Sec. 205. Prescribed fire education program. TITLE III—Reporting ; Sec other mattersSec . 301. Annual reports to National Fire Planning and Operations Database. Sec. 302. Annual implementation report. Sec. 303. Savings provision.

    What is a markup?

    A markup is a committee meeting where members go through a bill and vote on changes before sending it to the full chamber.

    (a) Short title. This Act may be cited as the National Prescribed Fire Act of 2025.

    (b) Table of contents. The table of contents for this Act is as follows: Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.Sec. 2. Definitions.TITLE I—Use of fundsSec. 101. Prescribed fire funding.Sec. 102. Policies and practices.Sec. 103. Collaborative Prescribed Fire Program.TITLE II—Facilitating implementation and outreachSec. 201. Cooperative agreements and contracts.Sec. 202. Human resources.Sec. 203. Liability of prescribed fire managers.Sec. 204. Environmental review.Sec. 205. Prescribed fire education program.TITLE III—Reporting; other mattersSec. 301. Annual reports to National Fire Planning and Operations Database.Sec. 302. Annual implementation report.Sec. 303. Savings provision.

    I Use of funds

    II Facilitating implementation and outreach

    III Reporting; other matters