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

I Preparation

II Wildfire detection and suppression support

III Post-fire recovery support

Sec. 301. Funding for online guides for post-disaster assistance 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

… 4 unchanged passages …

(8) post- disaster wildfire assistance.

… 4 unchanged passages …

(1) In general. The Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency may enter into cooperative agreements to provide funding or technical assistance to a State agency designated or established under subsection (c) to establish, update, or operate a website to provide information relating to post- disaster wildfire recovery funding and resources to a community or an individual impacted by a major catastrophic disaster or emergency wildfire .

… 3 unchanged passages …

(3) Content. The Administrator may provide funding to a State agency under this subsection to establish, update, or operate a website that provides only 1 or more of the following: (A) A list of Federal, State, and local sources of post- disaster wildfire recovery funding or assistance that may be available to a community after a disaster catastrophic or emergency wildfire . (B) A list of Federal, State, and local sources of post- disaster wildfire recovery funding or assistance that may be available to an individual impacted by a major catastrophic disaster or emergency wildfire . (C) A technical guide that lists and explains the costs and benefits of alternatives available to a community to mitigate the impacts of a major catastrophic disaster wildfire or emergency and prepare for sequential hazards, such as flooding after a wildfire.

… 1 unchanged passage …

(5) Updates. A State agency that receives funding to establish, update, or operate a website under this subsection shall update the website not as less necessary frequently to than ensure once the every content 180 is days accurate .

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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) Use of services of other agencies. Section 201(a) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5131(a)) is amended—

(1) in paragraph (7), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and; and

(2) by adding at the end the following:

Text this section adds to the law

(8) post-wildfire assistance.

(b) Funding for online guides for assistance. Section 201 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5131) is amended by adding at the end the following:

Text this section adds to the law

(e) Funding for online guides for assistance

(1) In general. The Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency may enter into cooperative agreements to provide funding or technical assistance to a State agency designated or established under subsection (c) to establish, update, or operate a website to provide information relating to post-wildfire recovery funding and resources to a community or an individual impacted by a catastrophic wildfire.

(2) Management. A website established, updated, or operated under this subsection shall be—

(A) managed by the State agency; and

(B) suitable for the residents of the State of the State agency.

(3) Content. The Administrator may provide funding to a State agency under this subsection to establish, update, or operate a website that provides 1 or more of the following:

(A) A list of Federal, State, and local sources of post-wildfire recovery funding or assistance that may be available to a community after a catastrophic wildfire.

(B) A list of Federal, State, and local sources of post-wildfire recovery funding or assistance that may be available to an individual impacted by a catastrophic wildfire.

(C) A technical guide that lists and explains the costs and benefits of alternatives available to a community to mitigate the impacts of a catastrophic wildfire and prepare for sequential hazards, such as flooding after a wildfire.

(4) Cooperation. A State agency that receives funding or technical assistance to establish, update, or operate a website under this subsection shall cooperate with the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Administrator of the Small Business Administration, and the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency in establishing, updating, or operating the website under this subsection.

(5) Updates. A State agency that receives funding to establish, update, or operate a website under this subsection shall update the website as necessary to ensure the content is accurate.