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1 1 (August 11, 2023)

handle is hein.crs/govemmx0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Con gressionaI Research Se informing I hej legs ive deb)ate sne I1914 Updated August 11, 2023 Federal Assistance for Wildfire Response and Recovery Wildfires are unplanned fires. Wildfires may be caused by natural phenomena (i.e., lightning strikes) or by deliberate or accidental human activities. Wildfires occur naturally, and many ecosystems evolved in the presence of wildfire, meaning wildfires cannot be entirely prevented and may have beneficial impacts. However, wildfires often threaten homes and communities, forcing evacuations or requiring a firefighting response to protect lives and property. From 2013 to 2022, there were an average of 61,410 wildfires annually and an average of 7.2 million acres impacted annually. In 2022, 68,988 wildfires burned 7.6 million acres. Congress and other stakeholders have considered options for federal support and assistance to address wildfire suppression during a fire, post-wildfire recovery, and land management activities to reduce the risk of future catastrophic wildfires, among other issues. During a Fire The federal government is responsible for wildfires that begin on federal lands. The Department of the Interior (DOI) manages wildfire response for more than 400 million acres of national parks, wildlife refuges and preserves, other public lands, and Indian reservations. The Forest Service (FS), within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), manages wildfire response across the 193 million acres of the National Forest System. Federal responsibility for wildfire suppression is intended to protect lives, property, and resources on federal lands. Federal wildfire policy is to evaluate the risks to firefighter and public safety and welfare-and to natural, ecological, and cultural values to be protected-to determine the appropriate response to wildfire. Depending on the risk assessment, the federal response may range from active suppression to monitoring, as supported by the area's land and resource management plans. States are responsible for suppressing wildfires on nonfederal (state, local, and private) lands, although the response may be managed jointly for comingled land ownership, including federal lands. The federal government supports the states in several ways. Many states have partnerships with federal agencies to provide wildfire suppression services through cooperative fire protection agreements. These agreements authorize federal and state partners to share resources-such as aviation equipment and personnel-during a wildfire season, allowing for a coordinated interagency response that deploys resources to areas of greatest critical need. The National Multi-Agency Coordination Group, located at the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, ID, coordinates and allocates federal, state, and private forces (as well as the military, when called upon) and resources at a national level. Geographic Area Coordination Centers coordinate and allocate resources at 10 regional levels. The cost of these resources is then reimbursed as specified in the cooperative fire protection master agreement, which often lists several different methods to apportion costs, each with different financial impacts. A state also may request assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) of the Department of Homeland Security for wildfires that began on state or private lands. If a wildfire were burning out of control and threatened to become a major disaster, a governor could request an emergency declaration. However, the most frequent assistance provided at this stage from FEMA is through Fire Management Assistance Grants (FMAGs), as authorized by the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act; 42 U.S.C. §§5271 et seq.). Once issued, an FMAG declaration authorizes various forms of federal assistance (e.g., equipment; personnel; and grants to state, local, and tribal governments) for the control, management, and mitigation of any fire on certain public or private forestland or grassland that might become a major disaster. The grants may reimburse up to 75% of allowable suppression costs for eligible fires. FMAG declarations, unlike some major disaster declarations, do not authorize assistance to individuals and households. A state or tribe may request that the President declare a wildfire a major disaster under the Stafford Act, authorizing other assistance and recovery programs, including assistance to individuals and households. The federal government also supports state and local efforts to evacuate areas threatened by wildfires. A presidential declaration triggers federal aid to protect property and public health and safety while attempting to preserve state autonomy and responsibility. The National Planning Frameworks guide FEMA on how to assist state and local agencies with emergencies and disasters, including wildfires. Information on active wildfires may be found at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov. In the Aftermath Federal actions in the aftermath of a wildfire disaster can take two principal forms: assistance for economic recovery and assistance for ecological recovery. Economic recovery includes resources to repair damage to infrastructure and private property. A presidential declaration of a major disaster initiates a process for federal assistance to help state and local governments and communities recover from the disaster. The type and extent of the assistance depends on a number of factors, such as the nature and severity of

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