Recent Wildfire Policies and Legislation

Stay up to date on key wildfire policies and legislation from 2024–2025, including new federal and state plans, insurance reforms, and what’s being done to strengthen community wildfire resilience.

Federal Initiatives in Wildfire Management

Federal initiatives in wildfire management fall under the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy, which is a collaborative effort between stakeholders across all regions around the country. This strategy aims to make progress in the areas of resilient landscapes, fire adapted communities, and safe and effective wildfire response.¹ The vision statement of the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy is “To safely and effectively extinguish fire when needed; use fire where allowable; manage our natural resources; and as a nation, to live with wildland fire.”²

Wildfire Safety and Prevention Act

The Modernizing Wildfire Safety and Prevention Act of 2025 was introduced by Rep. Josh Harder (D-CA), Rep. Scott Franklin (R-FL), and Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO). The Act, if passed, would utilize four approaches to combat wildfires: Wildland Fire Workforce Development, Wildland Firefighter Support, Wildfire Smoke and Public Health, and Fire Mitigation and Technology.³

• Wildland Fire Workforce Development would establish a Middle Fire Leaders Academy for training and certification, and create a grant program for vocational programs and colleges that provide fire mitigation, response, and recovery education.
• Wildland Firefighter Support would extend the break in service provision to two years, allow wildland firefighters to avoid being penalized in retirement calculations, and establish a casualty assistance program for loved ones of ill, injured, or deceased firefighters and personnel.
• Wildfire Smoke and Public Health would create a nationwide smoke monitoring and alert system that delivers real-time air quality information and forecasts, and establish a human health risk assessment and best practices for personnel exposed to wildland fire smoke.
• Fire Mitigation and Technology would provide compensation for forage losses resulting from beneficial fire, establish dynamic risk maps for wildland environments, reorganize accessibility and deployment of federal wildfire grants, and create a Joint Office of the Fire Environment Center.³

USDA Priorities for Strengthening Wildfire Response

The USDA Forest Service has implemented a 10-year strategy titled “Confronting the Wildfire Crisis: A Strategy for Protecting Communities and Improving Resilience in America’s Forests.”¹ This strategy combines scientific research, historic congressional funding, and years of planning. The priority within this strategy is to focus on fuels and forest health treatments directed by the best science available. Large rangelands and forested landscapes with a higher likelihood of ignition known as “firesheds,” usually around 250,000 acres in size, are the primary focus.¹

Fire Insurance Reforms

Following severe wildfires in recent years, many property owners are finding their insurance policies will no longer provide coverage for wildfire damage. In areas that have high risk of fires, some property owners are unable to secure any private insurance coverage.⁴ State insurance departments and state-mandated programs are available in some areas, and federal legislation is currently under review that would bring about potential fire insurance reforms.

The Wildfire Insurance Coverage Study Act of 2024 has been introduced to the House of Representatives by Rep. Maxine Walters (D-CA) and Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA).⁵ The Act, which is still under consideration, would require the Government Accountability Office to complete a study concerning wildfire insurance coverage. The study would examine levels of wildfire risk, existing insurance coverage for homeowners and commercial property owners specific to wildfire damage, state insurance regulatory agencies’ actions regarding premium increases and coverage exclusions, and difficulties facing private insurance underwriters.⁶

Constraints in Wildfire Policy Implementation

State and federal agencies can face several constraints when implementing wildfire policy, including issues with budgeting, regulations, and staffing.

A common constraint is budget limitations. Funding for wildfire mitigation efforts can be more challenging to secure as a long-term investment than funding for wildfire suppression which is often the immediate need. Some states have established different avenues for funding, such as creating designated funds for wildfire mitigation actions, and providing loans to local governments for mitigation efforts.⁷

In addition to budget issues, governmental and agency regulations can impose constraints on wildfire policy implementation. Regulations enforced by various agencies and levels of government may interfere with a state’s ability to carry out wildfire mitigation programs or other policies.⁷

An additional barrier when implementing wildfire policies is the challenge of recruiting and retaining qualified forestry and fire personnel. Firefighters may choose other roles due to low pay, health risks, or difficult schedules. States that don’t have the budget to pay more competitively may lose firefighters to other states or federal agencies that can provide higher salaries.⁷

WFCA’s Wildfire Policy Committee

Western Fire Chiefs Association’s Wildfire Policy Committee was established to assist western states with aspects of wildland fire management planning, mitigation, recovery, sustainability, and technology. The Wildfire Policy Committee takes wildfire policy initiatives at a national level and distributes this information to State Fire Chief Associations, resulting in collaboration, representation, and action at a local level.⁸

The Wildfire Policy Committee supports the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy vision statement, and has adopted its own vision to serve the global community: “To safely and effectively extinguish fire when needed; use fire where allowable; manage our natural resources; and as an international community, to live with wildland fire.”⁸