S. 91

Western Wildfire Support Act of 2026

Sponsor: Catherine Cortez Masto

1 cosponsor
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Official summary

Written by the Congressional Research Service.

Western Wildfire Support Act of 2025 

This bill addresses wildfires by authorizing post-fire recovery activities, supporting adoption of technology, and requiring additional federal coordination.

The bill authorizes federal wildfire response and recovery activities by

  • providing statutory authority for Burned Area Emergency Response Teams to coordinate emergency stabilization and erosion planning, and
  • establishing an account to fund federal rehabilitation projects in areas impacted by a wildfire (e.g., ecosystem restoration, replacing infrastructure critical for land management).

Additionally, for all hazard types, the bill includes post-disaster assistance in the federal disaster preparedness program and authorizes assistance to states for operating websites to provide information on post-disaster recovery resources.

The bill requires federal agencies to develop and utilize technologies for managing wildfires by

  • expediting the permitting and use of wildfire detection equipment (e.g., sensors, cameras);
  • providing funding to Indian tribes for slip-on tanker units that convert vehicles into fire engines;
  • performing research and development on wildfire response applications of unmanned aircraft systems (e.g., drones);
  • studying radio communications systems, situational awareness tools, and wildland fire predictive modeling; and
  • administering a prize competition for technological innovation for managing wildfire-related invasive species.

The bill directs federal agencies to plan and coordinate on wildfire management by

  • incorporating the best available science and planning tools into spatial fire management policies for federal lands,  
  • collaborating with state agencies for mutual aid in fire suppression (including reimbursing states for suppressing fires caused by military operations), and 
  • studying training gaps for integrating structural (e.g., local) firefighters into wildfire response.

Text of the bill

Expand all

I Preparation

II Wildfire detection and suppression support

Sec. 204. Study on drone incursions on wildfire suppression Changed · Sep 17

Where this section came from

  1. Jan 14, 2025 · Introduced in Senate Referred to Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Jan 14, 2025
  2. Sep 17, 2026 · Reported to Senate Marked up by Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Feb 4 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

… 20 unchanged passages …

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) Definitions. In this section:

(1) Administrator. The term Administrator means the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration.

(2) Drone. The term drone means an unmanned aircraft system owned by a private individual or entity.

(3) Drone incursion. The term drone incursion means the operation of a drone within any airspace for which the Administrator has issued a temporary flight restriction because of a wildfire.

(b) Study required. The Administrator, in consultation with the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, shall conduct a study on the effects of drone incursions on wildfire suppression with respect to land managed by the Department of the Interior or the Department of Agriculture.

(c) Study contents. In conducting the study required under subsection (b), the Administrator shall—

(1) determine, for each of the 5 most recent calendar years—

(A) the number of occurrences in which a drone incursion interfered with wildfire suppression; and

(B) the estimated effect of each occurrence described in subparagraph (A) on—

(i) the length of time required to achieve complete suppression;

(ii) any associated delay in the fielding of aerial firefighting response units; and

(iii) the amounts expended by the Federal Government; and

(2) evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of various actions to prevent drone incursions, including—

(A) the use of counter-drone radio towers;

(B) the use of reasonable force to disable, damage, or destroy a drone;

(C) the seizure of a drone, including seizure with a net device; and

(D) the dissemination of educational materials relating to the effects of drone incursions on wildfire suppression.

(d) Report. Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to the congressional committees, the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a report describing—

(1) the findings of the study required under subsection (b); and

(2) any recommendations relating to those findings.

III Post-fire recovery support

I Preparation

II Wildfire detection and suppression support

III Post-fire recovery support