Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV)
Western Wildfire Support Act of 2026
A Democratic bill with 1 Republican cosponsor · See the cosponsor
Last activity — Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 629.
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
This bill aims to improve Federal activities relating to wildfires and post-fire recovery support. It requires better reporting and transparency for firefighting accounts and catastrophic wildfires. The legislation directs the Department of Defense to seek reciprocal agreements to reimburse State agencies for firefighting services caused by military training. It requires the review of spatial fire management policies and various studies on integrating local firefighters, drones, and modern response technologies. Additionally, the bill supports wildfire detection equipment, slip-on tanker units for local governments and Indian Tribes, and post-fire emergency response teams.
Yes· 3 of 26
- Scored +8
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?
Rural and forest-adjacent residents directly benefit from comprehensive wildfire preparation, detection, and recovery support.
- Scored +7
Does this improve help for people hit by a disaster?
The bill significantly expands FEMA post-disaster guidance funding and establishes permanent Burned Area Emergency Response teams.
- Scored +7
Does this better protect public land such as parks and forests?
It mandates strategic wildland fire management planning, modernizes detection equipment, and sets up long-term rehabilitation accounts for federal and adjacent lands.
The opposite
- Scored -2
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?
The bill authorizes new spending and accounts for wildfire preparedness, research, and post-fire recovery.
- Scored -1
Does this reduce what the federal government owes?
The legislation authorizes new federal appropriations, including up to $100 million annually for the Long-Term Burned Area Rehabilitation account.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Transparency in Wildfires: Section 101 amends reporting requirements to provide detailed cost breakdowns of catastrophic wildfires, holding agencies accountable for how firefighting funds are spent.
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Military Reimbursement: Section 102 requires the Department of Defense to reimburse State agencies for fire suppression services when fires are caused by military training, protecting local budgets.
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Equipment Support: Section 202 expands financial assistance for acquiring firefighting slip-on tanker units to include Indian Tribes alongside local governments, helping communities respond to fires more effectively.
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Post-Disaster Recovery Guides: Section 301 allows FEMA to provide funding or technical assistance to State agencies to operate websites providing post-wildfire recovery funding, resources, and technical guides for impacted individuals and communities.
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Emergency Stabilization: Section 302 establishes permanent Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) teams to coordinate immediate post-fire emergency response, remove hazardous materials, and conduct erosion prevention work to ensure public safety.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
Based on the provided text, there are no explicit negative impacts or burdens identified for individuals or groups of people in the United States.
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.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this improve help for people hit by a disaster? — The bill significantly expands FEMA post-disaster guidance funding and establishes permanent Burned Area Emergency Response teams. Does this better protect public land such as parks and forests? — It mandates strategic wildland fire management planning, modernizes detection equipment, and sets up long-term rehabilitation accounts for federal and adjacent lands. Does this better protect air, water and wildlife? — The bill enhances ecosystem restoration, invasive species removal, watershed protection, and post-fire recovery frameworks. Does this invest in rural communities? — The legislation directly benefits rural and forested communities by improving wildfire preparedness, detection, and emergency stabilization. Does this cut the pollution that drives climate change? — Wildfire management, forest restoration, and reforestation efforts help reduce massive carbon releases associated with uncontrolled wildfires. Does this repair or build roads and bridges? — Post-fire recovery and rehabilitation projects include repairing critical land management infrastructure and facilities.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — Rural and forest-adjacent residents directly benefit from comprehensive wildfire preparation, detection, and recovery support. Would Native Americans be better off under this? — The bill explicitly expands financial assistance for slip-on tanker units to include Indian Tribes and accounts for trust lands. Would farmers be better off under this? — Agricultural and rural landowners benefit from enhanced watershed restoration and wildfire prevention measures. Would business owners be better off under this? — Small businesses and local enterprises benefit from reduced disaster risks and streamlined recovery information. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Better post-disaster assistance guides and community stabilization help low-income residents recover from disasters. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — Home protection and clear recovery resources assist middle-class families living near forested areas. Would children be better off under this? — Improved wildfire protection safeguards communities and schools from the dangers of severe wildfires. Would high-income households be better off under this? — Property owners in high-risk wildfire zones benefit from enhanced fire suppression and land stabilization. Would people in middle age be better off under this? — Homeowners and residents in wildfire-prone areas benefit from better mitigation and property protection. Would retired people be better off under this? — Retirees living in wildfire-prone regions benefit from increased community safety and post-disaster resources. Would people over 65 be better off under this? — Vulnerable populations benefit from reduced wildfire smoke risks and better emergency communication systems. Would people in cities be better off under this? — Urban areas benefit indirectly from reduced regional smoke and improved watershed health. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — Enhanced emergency response and environmental protection benefit local communities where young adults reside.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — Section 101 improves firefighting account transparency and annual reporting on wildfire suppression costs. Does this leave more decisions to the states? — The bill ensures state agencies are reimbursed for military-caused fires and provides federal support for state-managed disaster websites. Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill establishes new federal reporting mandates, research programs, and accounts within federal agencies.
- Education And Technology
- Does this put more money into scientific research? — The bill funds research and development into unmanned aircraft systems for firefighting and modernizing wildfire response technologies.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this make it easier to run a small business? — Provisions funding online recovery guides and streamlining recovery resources assist small businesses impacted by disasters. Is this likely to create jobs? — The bill creates permanent Burned Area Emergency Response teams and authorizes rehabilitation projects that may support temporary or permanent jobs in conservation and forestry. Is this likely to grow the economy? — Investing in wildfire resilience and post-fire recovery helps protect critical infrastructure and mitigates severe economic disruptions caused by catastrophic fires. Does this reduce what the federal government spends? — The bill authorizes new spending and accounts for wildfire preparedness, research, and post-fire recovery. Does this reduce what the federal government owes? — The legislation authorizes new federal appropriations, including up to $100 million annually for the Long-Term Burned Area Rehabilitation account.
- 9/17/2026
- 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. 629.
- 2/4/2026
- 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.
- 1/14/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
2 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Tim SheehyRepublican · Montana