S. 140 · In committee · Public Lands and Natural Resources

Wildfire Prevention Act of 2025

Sponsor: John Barrasso (R-WY)

What it does

• Establish annual goals to increase mechanically thinned acres on Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management land by at least 40% by FY2029 compared to FY2019-FY2023 averages.
• Establish annual goals to increase prescribed fire treatment acres on Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management land by at least 40% by FY2029 compared to FY2019-FY2023 averages.
• Direct the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to implement standardized procedures for tracking hazardous fuels reduction activities.
• Establish a pilot program for deployment and testing of wildfire prevention, detection, communication, and mitigation technologies.
• Grant local governments and Indian tribes the right to intervene in lawsuits concerning federal land projects that reduce wildfire, insect, or disease risks or generate revenue.

Official summary

This bill establishes forest management requirements for federal lands, particularly with respect to reducing wildfires. For example, the bill establishes annual goals to increase (1) the number of acres of Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land that are mechanically thinned (i.e., a management process related to the removal of trees and vegetation); and (2) the number of acres of Forest Service and BLM land treated by prescribed fire. By FY2029, the goals must be to increase the number of acres of each by at least 40% compared to the average number of acres of each in FY2019-FY2023. The bill also directs the Forest Service and the BLM to (1) implement standardized procedures for tracking data relating to hazardous fuels reduction activities they carry out, and (2) develop a strategy to identify opportunities to use livestock grazing as a wildfire risk reduction tool on federal land. Additionally, the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior must establish a deployment and test bed pilot program for wildfire prevention, detection, communication, and mitigation technologies. The bill mandates use of existing authorities for expedited environmental review…

Latest action

Jun 10, 2026: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources