Budd, Wyden Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Prevent Disastrous Wildfires
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), alongside U.S. Representatives Kim Schrier (D-Wash.) and David Valadao (R-Calif.), introduced the bicameral, bipartisan National Prescribed Fire Act of 2025 today. The legislation would support prescribed burns as an essential, cost-effective, science-based strategy to save lives and property, and address the harmful impacts of the recent wildfires across the nation.
The National Prescribed Fire Act of 2025 would invest in hazardous fuels management to reduce the risk of blistering infernos by increasing the pace and scale of prescribed burns during cooler, wetter months. The legislation would grow a technically skilled prescribed fire workforce, provide new tools to aid smoke management, and prescribed fire permitting during winter months to reduce ruinous fires and smoke in the summer.
“Following the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, thousands of acres of North Carolina forest were left destroyed. Now, these downed trees and piles of leaves represent a serious wildfire risk. By enabling the Forest Service to better conduct controlled burns of unchecked vegetation and scattered debris, we can protect our forests from catastrophic wildfires that may occur in the hottest months of the year. I am proud to join my colleague, Sen. Wyden, in introducing this common-sense, proactive approach to preventing disastrous wildfires,” said Senator Budd.
“It’s no secret that rising temperatures and increased drought are leading to more and more wildfires, and firefighters are struggling to keep up as they put their lives on the line. We can no longer wait for disaster to strike before we address these fires destroying our neighborhoods and even taking people’s lives. I have heard firsthand from Oregonians who are sick and tired of inaction while the West burns. Our bipartisan, bicameral bill will tackle wildfires head-on by focusing on prevention to get the West out of the cycle of crisis and devastation every wildfire season,” said Senator Wyden.
“Here in Washington State, we experience devastating wildfires every year. That’s why Congress must act now and address this issue. My bill, the National Prescribed Fire Act, expands the use of prescribed fire to lower the risk of catastrophic wildfires,” said Rep. Schrier.
“In California, we understand the dangerous impact of wildfires—from damage to property to loss of life. By prescribing controlled burns to fire-adapted land in a safe and supervised way, we can limit dangerous fuel buildup and help reduce the threat of future wildfires. I’m proud to join my colleagues in re-introducing this bipartisan bill to protect our communities from wildfire risk,” said Rep. Valadao.
Read the full bill text HERE.
Background
In 2024 alone, 8.9 million acres of land were burned by wildfires, one of the highest totals on record. As vegetation continues to grow, the Forest Service has been unable to address the current hazardous fuel backlog, which is exacerbated by the nation's hot and dry fire seasons.
Hurricane Helene resulted in 822,000 acres of downed timber and debris in North Carolina. As this debris dries out, it poses a significant risk of wildfire. According to the North Carolina Forest Service, there have been 4,193 wildfires burning more than 26,000 acres so far this year, on pace to dramatically exceed 2024’s totals of 4,588 fires burning over 15,000 acres.
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