Wildfire Response Improvement Act
The Wildfire Response Improvement Act directs the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to improve how it evaluates and supports wildfire mitigation and response efforts. The bill requires FEMA to review and update its policies for determining which wildfire prevention and recovery projects qualify for federal funding, with a focus on making it easier to fund emergency protective measures and recovery activities. Additionally, FEMA must develop new guidance that addresses wildfire-specific challenges like debris removal, water contamination, and smoke impacts. The bill aims to streamline federal disaster assistance for communities affected by wildfires by removing barriers to funding and establishing clearer standards for what types of wildfire projects are cost-effective investments.
Key Points
- 1Fire Management Assistance Eligibility: FEMA must update regulations to make emergency assessments and stabilization efforts eligible for federal funding regardless of when the fire occurred, removing timing restrictions that may currently prevent funding.
- 2Wildfire-Specific Recovery Guidance: FEMA must create new guidance addressing unique wildfire recovery challenges, including debris removal, emergency protective measures, and contamination of drinking water resources.
- 3Cost-Effectiveness Review: FEMA must conduct a comprehensive review of how it evaluates whether wildfire mitigation projects are worth their cost, examining five specific areas: defensible space projects, nature-based infrastructure, vegetation management, smoke health impacts, and water infrastructure protection.
- 4Pre-Calculated Benefits for Common Projects: The review should establish standardized benefit calculations for typical defensible space mitigation projects (clearing vegetation around homes and structures), making it faster to approve funding for these common protective measures.
- 5Updated Prioritization System: Based on the review findings, FEMA must issue new guidance that updates cost-effectiveness criteria and establishes a system for prioritizing which wildfire mitigation projects receive federal funding.