S.Amdt. 4530

The amendment, submitted by Mr. Wyden, proposes adding a new division to bill S. 1383 called the National Prescribed Fire Act of 2026.

The purpose of this addition is to expand the use of prescribed fires on Federal land and to provide the framework, funding, and workforce support necessary to do so.

Key changes and additions include:

• Funding and Implementation: It allows the Department of Agriculture and Department of the Interior to use up to 15 percent of hazardous fuels management funds for prescribed fire activities, including grants to States, Tribal governments, and nonprofits.

• Acreage Goals: It requires the Secretaries to increase the total acreage of Federal land where prescribed fires are conducted by at least 10 percent each year for the next 9 fiscal years.

• Collaborative Program: It establishes a Collaborative Prescribed Fire Program to fund specific projects (up to $1 million per project) that focus on landscape restoration and wildfire risk reduction.

• Workforce Support: It introduces measures to attract and retain workers, such as hazard pay, the creation of multiparty task forces, and career pathways for veterans and formerly incarcerated individuals.

• Legal and Environmental Framework: It provides liability protections for prescribed fire managers under the Federal Tort Claims Act and establishes guidelines for smoke management and environmental reviews.

• Education and Reporting: It creates a national prescribed fire education program and requires annual reporting on accomplishments to ensure accountability.