Community Protection and Wildfire Resilience Act
Community Protection and Wildfire Resilience Act
Plain Language Summary
# Community Protection and Wildfire Resilience Act - Summary **What the Bill Does:** This bill would create a new grant program within the U.S. Fire Administration to help communities prepare for and reduce wildfire risks. It would also expand an existing Forest Service grant program that helps at-risk communities implement wildfire prevention strategies. Additionally, it requires federal agencies to produce reports and resources on wildfire resilience to help communities better understand how to protect themselves. **Who It Affects:** The bill targets state and local governments, Native American tribes, volunteer fire departments, and community organizations in areas threatened by wildfires.
These groups could receive federal funding to develop wildfire preparedness plans and carry out prevention projects like removing hazardous vegetation and restoring fire-adapted forests. Individual homeowners could indirectly benefit through community-level resilience efforts. **Key Provisions:** The bill expands what types of wildfire prevention activities can be funded—though notably, home-specific improvements like roof upgrades and fire-resistant siding remain excluded from the Forest Service grants. The bill also mandates that federal agencies produce guidance and reports to help communities better understand wildfire resilience strategies. **Current Status:** HR 582 is currently in committee and has not yet been voted on by the full House.
CRS Official Summary
Community Protection and Wildfire Resilience ActThis bill establishes a wildfire resilience grant program within the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), expands an existing U.S. Forest Service (USFS) wildfire risk reduction grant program, and requires the USFA and Government Accountability Office (GAO) to produce various reports and resources relating to wildfire resilience.Specifically, the bill requires the USFA to award grants to state or local governments, tribes, volunteer fire departments, or groups thereof for developing a community protection and wildfire resilience plan or carrying out projects that support strategies described in such a plan. Also, under current law, the USFS’s Community Wildfire Defense Grant program provides grants to at-risk communities for implementing wildfire risk reduction, including reducing hazardous fuels and restoring fire-adapted ecosystems, but excluding activities such as construction and home hardening (e.g., roof upgrades, fire-resistant siding). The bill expands the eligible project types to include construction or modification of a structure to increase fire-resistance and modification of a structure or the adjacent area to reduce exposure to contact with wildfire. Additionally, the bill requires the USFA to develop and publish a map depicting communities at risk from wildfire. The USFA must also provide a report evaluating and ensuring public entities have radio communication capabilities adequate for wildfire management. The bill also requires the GAO to publish a study on potential certification for community protection and wildfire resilience plans, and a report assessing impediments for federal wildfire resilience programs.
Latest Action
Referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, and Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.