H.R. 4852 — Wildfire Emergency Preparedness Act of 2025

This section directs the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service and in consultation with the Secretary of the Interior, the Under Secretary of Agriculture for Fire Coordination, and the Superintendent of the National Academy for Fire Prevention and Control, to publish within one year of enactment a national plan to train structural firefighters—including federal employees—to respond safely and effectively to wildfires and wildland-urban interface fires. The plan must include guidelines for a training curriculum incorporating materials developed by the National Academy (which trains fire service personnel in fire prevention, inspection, firefighting, and related skills) and National Wildfire Coordinating Group courses S-130 and S-190 (or successors). This section authorizes the Secretary to make competitive grants to eligible nonprofit organizations experienced in developing and delivering structural firefighter training curricula, including on fireground safety and wildfire operations, and collaborating on firefighter safety research. Grant applications must certify consultation with state and local fire personnel (including supervisors and volunteers), building code officials, and firefighting injury researchers. This section authorizes $5 million annually for FY2026 through FY2031 to carry out these activities, of which up to 2.5% may be used for technical assistance, with amounts remaining available until expended.

This section establishes in the Department of Agriculture the position of Under Secretary of Agriculture for Fire Coordination, appointed by the President with Senate confirmation, to serve as the principal adviser to the Secretary of Agriculture on coordinating federal, state, and local wildfire and wildland-urban interface fire preparedness and response; to work with the Forest Service Chief to enhance firefighting operations; and to perform other duties as prescribed. The section further directs the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior, not later than 60 days after enactment, to ensure that a representative of a national labor organization representing state and local firefighters serves as a member of (1) the Wildland Fire Leadership Council, which coordinates wildland fire policy across federal agencies, and (2) the National Wildfire Coordinating Group, which provides national standards for interagency wildland fire management (with the same representative eligible to serve on both if determined appropriate).

This section authorizes the Secretary of Defense, notwithstanding any other law and upon request from a qualified agency head (i.e., Secretary of Agriculture, Secretary of Interior, or head of another relevant agency as determined by the Secretary of Defense), to deploy Department of Defense firefighters to conduct or assist in operations responding to wildfires or wildland-urban interface fires. It requires the requesting agency head to reimburse the Department for costs at rates determined and agreed to by the Secretaries of Defense, Agriculture, and Interior; directs the Secretary of Defense to report to specified congressional committees on financial and logistical barriers to such operations or assistance; and defines key terms.

This section establishes in the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)—an agency in the Department of Health and Human Services that conducts research to develop criteria for occupational safety and health standards—a research and development program on firefighter health and safety. The program requires the NIOSH Director to (1) protect the respiratory health of firefighters responding to wildfires or wildland-urban interface fires and (2) identify and measure per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and other carcinogens in affected areas, firefighters' protective equipment, and other settings determined by the Director; consult with the U.S. Fire Administrator, Secretary of Agriculture, firefighter representatives, and others; and submit progress and research findings reports to the House Committee on Natural Resources and Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources within 180 days of enactment and annually thereafter. The section authorizes $20 million annually for FY2026 through FY2031.

This section revises the criteria for FEMA Administrator designation of task forces in the National Urban Search and Rescue Response System—standardized teams sponsored by state or local governments to provide urban search and rescue capabilities during disasters—by requiring (1) task forces including firefighters or other emergency responders to incorporate mental health practitioners qualified to treat, monitor, or assess post-traumatic stress injuries or other mental or behavioral health conditions attributable to task force service; and (2) all task force members to receive training in peer mental health support services, including identification of post-traumatic stress injury warning signs, recognition of behavioral health symptoms, de-escalation methods, and appropriate referrals to mental health practitioners. It authorizes the Administrator to obligate up to $10 million annually for FY2026 through FY2031, from amounts appropriated for the System, to develop these criteria (potentially through consultation with and grants to nonprofits for task force training).

This section establishes a competitive grant program administered by the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Under Secretary for Fire Coordination and in consultation with state chief executives, to award grants directly to fire departments (for public and firefighter protection against fire and related hazards) and nonaffiliated EMS organizations (as defined in the Assistance to Firefighters Grant program, 15 U.S.C. 2229(a)). Grant funds may be used (1) to acquire personal protective equipment suitable for wildfire or wildland-urban interface incidents or (2) to train firefighting personnel in responding to such incidents. Maximum per-grant amounts, tiered by population served, are $1 million (≤100,000 people), $2 million (>100,000–500,000), $3 million (>500,000–1 million), $6 million (>1–2.5 million), and $9 million (>2.5 million); no grant may exceed 1% of available grant funds in a fiscal year unless waived for extraordinary need. Authorizes $100 million for FY2026.

This section directs the Under Secretary of Agriculture for Fire Coordination, in consultation with appropriate nonprofit and labor organizations representing firefighters, to submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees not later than one year after enactment of this section. The report must address (1) the extent to which local fire service providers train personnel to respond to wildfires and fires in the wildland-urban interface, (2) the effectiveness of such training, and (3) obstacles preventing coordination as described in section 3(a)(2)(A), including specific case studies. This section defines appropriate congressional committees as the House Committees on Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Science, Space, and Technology; and the Senate Committees on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry; Energy and Natural Resources; and Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.