John Barrasso (R-WY)
Wildfire Prevention Act of 2025
A Republican bill with 5 Republican cosponsors · See all 5 cosponsors
Last activity — Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 697.
Cleared committee, waiting for its first floor vote
A committee approved it and it is on the calendar of the chamber it started in.
This is further than most bills get, and still no promise of a vote: the calendar is a queue, and the majority leadership decides what is called. A bill can sit here until the Congress ends.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- On Calendar
What this bill would do
The Wildfire Prevention Act of 2025 aims to tackle the forest health crisis on public lands and the National Forest System. It requires officials to set and meet specific annual goals for mechanical thinning and prescribed burns to reduce hazardous fuels. The bill increases transparency through public reporting of acreage treated and the cost of these activities. It also streamlines the removal of hazard trees and vegetation near power lines. Additionally, the act establishes a pilot program for testing new wildfire technologies and encourages the use of livestock grazing to reduce fire risks.
Yes· 3 of 16
- Scored +6
Would Native Americans be better off under this?
Grants Indian Tribes intervenor status in civil actions and participation in settlement negotiations.
- Scored +6
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?
Improves safety and economic activity in rural forest regions.
- Scored +6
Does this improve help for people hit by a disaster?
Directly aims to reduce wildfire risk and incorporates FEMA into technology testbeds.
The opposite
- Scored -4
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?
Exempts annual goals and certain hazard tree projects from NEPA requirements, reducing environmental review.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
- Reduced Wildfire Risk: The bill mandates annual goals for mechanical thinning and prescribed fire that must increase over time, which is intended to reduce hazardous fuels on Federal land (Section 101).
- Improved Public Safety: The creation of a categorical exclusion for "high-priority hazard trees" allows for the faster removal of trees likely to cause injury to people or damage property near roads, trails, and recreation sites (Section 203).
- Increased Accountability: The bill requires the publication of data regarding treated acres and any limitations, such as litigation, that prevent goals from being met, allowing the public to track progress (Section 102).
- Technological Advancement: The establishment of a public-private pilot program focuses on deploying emerging technologies like AI and augmented reality for better wildfire prevention, detection, and communication (Section 302).
- Local and Tribal Inclusion: Local governments and Indian Tribes are granted the right to intervene in civil actions and participate in settlement negotiations for qualified projects that reduce wildfire risk or generate timber revenue (Section 204).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Reduced Environmental Review: The establishment of annual goals and regional allotments is specifically exempt from the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (Section 101(f)).
- Limited Oversight on Certain Projects: The bill allows for "high-priority hazard tree activities" to be conducted under a categorical exclusion for projects up to 3,000 acres, which streamlines the review process (Section 203(b)).
- Mandatory Use of Streamlined Authorities: Agencies are required to use streamlined authorities for environmental reviews in specific areas, which may limit the depth of standard review processes (Section 301).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would Native Americans be better off under this? — Grants Indian Tribes intervenor status in civil actions and participation in settlement negotiations. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — Improves safety and economic activity in rural forest regions. Would business owners be better off under this? — Increases opportunities for forestry and technology companies via mandates and pilot programs. Would farmers be better off under this? — Encourages the use of livestock grazing as a tool for wildfire risk reduction. Would people in cities be better off under this? — Reduces wildfire risk for those in the wildland-urban interface. Would union members be better off under this? — Potential for increased demand for skilled forestry labor.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this improve help for people hit by a disaster? — Directly aims to reduce wildfire risk and incorporates FEMA into technology testbeds. Does this better protect public land such as parks and forests? — Mandates specific targets for hazardous fuels reduction to improve forest health. Does this invest in rural communities? — Focuses on forest health and timber revenue which supports rural economies. Does this better protect air, water and wildlife? — Exempts annual goals and certain hazard tree projects from NEPA requirements, reducing environmental review.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — Mandates public reporting of treated acres, costs, and challenges hindering goals. Does this leave more decisions to the states? — Allows local governments and Tribes to intervene in civil actions regarding qualified projects. Does this give the federal government more power? — Sets mandatory federal goals and requirements for land management agencies.
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to create jobs? — Increased mandates for mechanical thinning and prescribed burns likely increase demand for forestry workers. Is this likely to grow the economy? — Promotes timber sales and technological innovation in wildfire prevention. Does this make it easier to run a small business? — Increased timber sales and hazardous fuels reduction contracts provide opportunities for small forestry businesses.
- Education And Technology
- Does this put more money into scientific research? — Establishes a public-private pilot program for emerging wildfire technologies like AI and quantum sensing.
- 11/12/2026
- Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Lee with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
- Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 697.
- 6/10/2026
- Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
- 12/2/2025
- Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 119-237.
- 3/3/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 1/16/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text: CR S228-231)
- 4 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
Mike CrapoRepublican · Idaho
Steve DainesRepublican · Montana
Cynthia LummisRepublican · Wyoming
James RischRepublican · Idaho
Tim SheehyRepublican · Montana