Bipartisan Bill Proposes 30-Minute Wildfire Response Standard on Federal Lands

The Wildfire Response and Preparedness Act seeks to curb catastrophic wildfire damage by mandating faster response times for fires on Interior and Agriculture Department lands.

• Freshman Senators Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) and Andy Kim (D-N.J.) introduced the Wildfire Response and Preparedness Act to establish a 30-minute national response time for wildfires on federal lands.
• The proposed standard would apply to lands managed by the Interior and Agriculture Departments, aiming to prevent wildfires from escalating into major disasters.
• The bill is inspired by the National Fire Protection Association's 5.5-minute standard for structural fires, which has significantly reduced civilian deaths.
• Supporters emphasize the urgency of addressing worsening wildfires linked to climate change, with recent fires devastating areas in California, Texas, South Carolina, and Georgia.
• Senator Sheehy, a former aerial firefighter, has co-authored 10 bipartisan wildfire-related bills since taking office, including efforts to create a National Wildland Firefighting Service.

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