A bipartisan group of House and Senate lawmakers are reviving bipartisan legislation to increase the use of prescribed fire on and around national forests.
The “National Prescribed Fire Act,” from Senate Finance ranking member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), would provide a science-based strategy for reducing wildfire risks in forests adapted to fire, backers say.
The latest version makes minor tweaks to a bill that passed the Energy and Natural Resources Committee last year, including removing some language on studying legal issues around prescribed fire. It adds some language to bring the Southeast more into the programs.
Sen. Ted Budd (R-N.C.) has joined as a co-sponsor. In the House, Reps. David Valadao (R-Calif.) and Kim Schrier (D-Wash.) are introducing a companion bill.
