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

III Post-fire recovery support

Sec. 302. Post-fire management and recovery 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

… 12 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) In general. Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary concerned shall establish 1 or more permanent Burned Area Emergency Response Teams (referred to in this section as a BAER Team) to coordinate immediate post-wildfire emergency stabilization and erosion planning efforts.

(b) Requirements. A BAER Team shall—

(1) survey the landscape affected by a wildfire to determine burn severity;

(2) identify and remove, as necessary, dead or dying trees that may pose an immediate hazard to individuals, communities, or critical infrastructure;

(3) stabilize or remove hazardous materials resulting from a wildfire that may pose an immediate hazard to individuals, communities, or the environment;

(4) conduct emergency landscape stabilization and erosion prevention work, prioritizing efforts that ensure public safety;

(5) prevent the proliferation and spread of invasive species;

(6) assist with informing the public of hazards resulting from a wildfire;

(7) collaborate, as necessary, with activities under section 303; and

(8) conduct such other work as the Secretary concerned determines to be necessary.

(c) Duration. To the maximum extent practicable, a BAER Team shall coordinate and respond to immediate post-wildfire emergency stabilization and erosion planning needs for a period of not more than 1 year after the date of containment of a wildfire.

(d) Funding. The Secretary concerned may use to carry out this section funds made available by section 40803(c)(16) of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (16 U.S.C. 6592(c)(16)).

I Preparation

II Wildfire detection and suppression support

III Post-fire recovery support