119th Congress Public Lands and Natural Resources
H.R. 178: To require the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out activities to suppress wildfires, and for other purposes.
Reported
- Introduced (completed)
- Passed House (not reached)
- Passed Senate (not reached)
- To the President (not reached)
- Became law (not reached)
Summary
This bill sets out requirements for wildfire suppression and management activities carried out by the Forest Service.
These requirements apply to Forest Service land that (1) has a severe, extreme, or exceptional drought intensity rating; (2) has a National Wildland Fire Preparedness level of 5 (i.e., the highest level of wildland fire activity); or (3) is located in a fireshed ranked in the top 10% of wildfire exposure.
Within 24 hours of detecting a wildfire on such Forest Service land, the service must use all available resources to extinguish the wildfire. Additionally, the service may not inhibit the firefighting activities of state and local agencies that are authorized to respond to wildfires on the Forest Service land.
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Further, the service may only initiate a backfire or burnout as part of a fire suppression strategy if it is ordered by the responsible incident commander or is necessary to protect the health and safety of firefighting personnel. The service must use all available resources to control any initiated fire until it is extinguished.
The bill also limits the service's use of prescribed fires (i.e., the controlled application of fire by a team of experts under specified weather conditions to restore health to ecosystems that depend on fire). When using prescribed fires as a fire resource management tool, the service must comply with applicable laws and regulations and immediately suppress any prescribed fire that exceeds its prescription.
Written by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.
Roll calls
No roll call votes have been held on this bill.
Amendments
No amendments were offered to this bill.
Cosponsors
- Andy Biggs R-AZOriginal
- Ken Calvert R-CAOriginal
- Darrell Issa R-CAOriginal
- Doug LaMalfa R-CAOriginal
- Pete Stauber R-MNOriginal
- Kevin Kiley I-CA
- Ryan Zinke R-MT
- Clarence Owens R-UT
- Troy Downing R-MT
Who scored on this bill
- 1Tom McClintock SponsorIntroduced, marked up, reported3 events+32
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Introductions and cosponsorships count toward weekly caps and show no points.
Other bills by Tom McClintock
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- H.R. 181: To amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to provide that artificially propagated animals shall be treated the same under that Act as naturally propagated animals, and for other purposes.
- H.R. 184: Action Versus No Action Act
- H.R. 8454: To provide for the transfer of administrative jurisdiction over certain Federal land in the State of California, and for other purposes.
- H.R. 183: Law Enforcement Officer and Firefighter Recreation Pass Act
- H.R. 175: Deport Alien Gang Members Act
History
- Introduced in the House by Tom McClintock.
Show the full action history (6 actions)
- Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-429, Part I.
- Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- Referred to the Subcommittee on Forestry and Horticulture.
- Introduced in House
- Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.