S2015-119

What This Bill Does

Creates a national prescribed-fire policy package by allowing up to 15 percent of National Forest System hazardous-fuels funds for prescribed-fire activities, requiring expanded federal burning over ten fiscal years, creating a Collaborative Prescribed Fire Program, authorizing cooperative agreements and contracts, improving workforce pay and training, limiting liability for prescribed-fire managers, aligning environmental-review policy, and requiring annual accomplishment reports.

Who Benefits and How

At-risk communities benefit if increased prescribed fire reduces fuel loads before catastrophic wildfires. Prescribed-fire managers, fire departments, Tribes, counties, municipalities, nonprofits, and private prescribed-fire contractors benefit from cooperative agreements, contracts, collaborative program funding, clearer liability rules, and more federal use of intentional burning. Federal wildland fire employees benefit from differential-pay eligibility tied to prescribed-fire work. State and local smoke-management planners benefit from environmental-review guidance that explicitly accounts for public-health impacts of prescribed fire versus uncontrolled wildfire smoke.

Who Bears the Burden and How

Forest Service fire staff and Interior fire staff must conduct more prescribed fire, administer collaborative projects, issue cooperative agreements or contracts, revise training and policies, and report annual accomplishments. Federal budget accounts for hazardous fuels management may be redirected up to 15 percent toward prescribed-fire work. Property owners near burn units bear uncertain smoke, access, or escape-fire risks, while injured property owners may face a higher barrier if liability protections apply. Congressional committees receive annual reports but also must oversee a more active prescribed-fire program.

Key Provisions

• Allows up to 15 percent of annual hazardous-fuels funding for prescribed-fire activities on the National Forest System.
• Requires Agriculture and Interior to conduct prescribed fires on federal land over a ten-year implementation period.
• Creates a Collaborative Prescribed Fire Program for cross-boundary and partner-supported burning.
• Authorizes cooperative agreements and contracts with states, Tribes, local governments, fire districts, nonprofits, and private entities.
• Provides human-resources and pay provisions for federal employees working on prescribed fire.
• Limits liability for prescribed-fire managers carrying out covered activities on federal land.
• Requires environmental-review policy alignment and annual prescribed-fire reporting.