S 140119th CongressIn Committee

Wildfire Prevention Act of 2025

Introduced: Jan 16, 2025

Sponsor: Sen. Barrasso, John [R-WY] (R-Wyoming)

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

The Wildfire Prevention Act of 2025 seeks to convert rhetoric into action on wildfire risk by mandating quantified, ramped-up fuels reduction and forest health work on Federal lands, expanding certain authorities for vegetation management near electric rights-of-way, and introducing new reporting, transparency, and testing programs. Key elements include setting baseline and expanding annual targets for mechanical thinning and prescribed fire, creating regional acreage allotments, and requiring public data on progress. The bill also adds tools to accelerate action—such as streamlined (categorical) exclusions for high-priority hazard-tree work, expanded “intervenor” rights for local governments and tribes, and a strategy to use grazing as a wildfire risk-reduction tool. It creates a public-private wildfire technology deployment pilot program to test new technologies and ends FLAME reports. Overall, it aims to shorten timeframes, improve accountability, and broaden authorities and partnerships to reduce wildfire risk on National Forest System land and other federal public lands.

Key Points

1Accelerating treatments and setting targets
2- Establishes a baseline (2019–2023) for acres mechanically thinned (commercial and pre-commercial) and acres treated by prescribed fire.
3- Sets annual goals for 2025–2028 at or above the baseline; 2027–2028 require at least 20% more; 2029 and beyond require at least 40% more.
4- Requires regional acreage allotments and public posting of these data.
5Enhanced reporting and transparency (Title I)
6- Annual reports beginning in 2025 detailing acres treated, whether goals were met, challenges, regeneration harvests, wildfire risk context, use of streamlined authorities, and partnerships.
7- Adds a formal Hazardous Fuels Reduction Activity reporting framework with data fields (location, risk level, activity type, cost per acre, and effectiveness) and public availability.
8Forest carbon accounting (Section 104)
9- Every three years, publish regional net forest carbon balance (whether the land is a carbon source or sink) for the National Forest System, using Forest Service data.
10Wildland fire performance metrics (Section 105)
11- Within 18 months, submit a report on existing performance indicators and potential measures to track and improve wildfire risk reduction, including place-based outcomes and data/modeling needs.
12Vegetation management near electric rights-of-way (Title II, Sec. 201)
13- Increases hazard-trees distance around power lines from 10 feet to 50 feet in certain contexts.
14- Allows the Secretaries to grant permits for tree cutting/removal within rights-of-way without a separate timber sale, with proceeds sharing provisions and limitations.
15Timber sales and hazard-tree work (Title II)
16- Raises the timber sale price trigger (from $10,000 to $55,000) for certain sales.
17- Creates a categorical exclusion for high-priority hazard-tree activities (up to 3,000 acres per project), with NEPA compliance and incidental “extraordinary circumstances” procedures.
18Intervenor rights (Title II, Sec. 204)
19- Local governments and Indian Tribes can intervene as of right in civil actions for certain wildfire-related projects and participate fully in settlements if they intervene.
20Grazing as a wildfire tool (Title II, Sec. 205)
21- Requires a strategy within 18 months to explore using livestock grazing to reduce wildfire risk, including potential permit/lease adjustments, targeted grazing, tech-assisted livestock placement, post-fire restoration, and temporary use of vacant allotments during extreme events.
22Cultural change and public-private tech deployment (Title III)
23- Mandatory use of existing streamlined environmental-review authorities for federal land projects within three years.
24- Establishes a Public-Private Wildfire Technology Deployment and Testbed Pilot Program to test new technologies (priority given to AI, quantum sensing, AR, 5G networks, mesh communications, etc.), with coordination across multiple agencies and annual reporting. Public invites for participation and a seven-year sunset.
25Repeal of FLAME reports (Sec. 303)
26- Repeals a portion of FLAME Act reporting requirements.
27Definitions and scope
28- Clarifies terms like “hazardous fuels reduction activity,” “federal land,” “National Forest System,” and “wildland-urban interface,” and identifies the responsible Secretaries.

Impact Areas

Primary groups/areas affected- Federal land management agencies (USDA Forest Service and Department of the Interior’s BLM): tasked with meeting new acreage goals, maintaining data quality, and implementing new authorities.- Local governments and Indian Tribes: given intervenor rights in civil actions and potential roles in project planning and partnerships.- Electric utilities and rights-of-way land managers: affected by expanded vegetation management near power lines and streamlined permitting/processes.- Private entities, non-profits, and universities: eligible to participate in the public-private wildfire technology pilot program.Secondary groups/areas affected- Communities in or near the wildland-urban interface: impacted by accelerated treatments and more proactive risk reduction work.- Taxpayers and stakeholders interested in wildfire risk and forest carbon: data transparency and carbon accounting provide public reporting and climate context.- Environmental compliance and professional communities: changes to NEPA processes and new categorical exclusions may affect how projects are planned and reviewed.Additional impacts- Administrative burden and data management: requires new data collection standards, public data posting, and annual reporting.- Potential policy shifts: reliance on categorical exclusions and existing authorities could shorten review timelines but may raise environmental or public-interest concerns among stakeholders.- Innovation and technology: targeted pilot program could advance wildfire detection, communication, and mitigation tools across multiple agencies and partners.Hazardous fuels reduction activities include mechanical thinning and prescribed burning to reduce wildfire risk. The act clarifies that simply awarding a contract for these activities is not itself a fuels-reduction activity.A “categorical exclusion” allows certain projects to proceed without full NEPA environmental impact statements, provided they meet criteria and extraordinary circumstances procedures are followed.The wildland-urban interface refers to areas where developed urban/wildland areas meet and interact, a key focus for risk reduction efforts.NEPA is a foundational environmental law requiring impact assessments; this bill seeks to limit NEPA review for certain annual goals and allotments, while mandating NEPA compliance for the new categorical exclusion process.

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