Rep. Bera Cosponsors Wildfire Response and Readiness Act to Strengthen Wildfire Prevention and Community Preparedness

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Representative Ami Bera, M.D. (CA-06) cosponsored the Wildfire Response and Readiness Act, a comprehensive package to strengthen wildfire prevention and response, help communities better prepare for catastrophic fires, and provide greater support for wildland firefighters.

The legislation was introduced by Representatives Joe Neguse (CO-02), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Angie Craig (MN-02), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), and George Whitesides (CA-27).

"In Northern California and across our nation, we've seen the devastating impact of wildfires that have destroyed homes, threatened lives, strained first responders, and exposed millions to dangerous wildfire smoke," said Representative Bera. "This bill takes a comprehensive approach to the wildfire crisis by investing in prevention and forest restoration, improving wildfire detection and monitoring, making homes more resilient, and ensuring our firefighters have the pay, benefits, and support they deserve."

The Wildfire Response and Readiness Act brings together 25 bills from 11 Members of Congress and draws on recommendations from the nonpartisan Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission.

The legislation focuses on three key areas:

• Building resilient landscapes: Invests in wildfire prevention, prescribed fire, forest restoration, reforestation, and post-fire recovery. The bill also directs federal agencies to implement a 10-year National Wildfire Plan in coordination with states, counties, Tribes, and other stakeholders.
• Creating fire-safe communities: Expands tools to help families harden their homes against wildfire, strengthens community wildfire resilience and recovery programs, improves wildfire smoke monitoring, and advances new technologies for earlier wildfire detection and response.
• Supporting wildland firefighters: Strengthens pay, leave, retirement benefits, workforce training, and recruitment for wildland firefighters while helping ensure federal agencies have the personnel and capacity necessary to prepare for and respond to wildfires.

The package includes the Strengthening Wildfire Resiliency Through Satellites Act, legislation cosponsored by Representative Bera, which would establish a grant program through the U.S. Geological Survey to help states use satellite technology for early wildfire detection, active-fire monitoring, and post-disaster recovery.

The legislation is endorsed by American Forests, Defenders of Wildlife, Earthjustice Action, Grassroots Wildland Firefighters, Megafire Action, National Federation of Federal Employees, Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, Trust for Public Land, and Western Fire Chiefs Association.

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