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Wildfire Management Funding: Background, Issues, and FY2018 Appropriations [October 31, 2017]
"The federal government's wildfire (or wildland fire) management responsibilities are fulfilled primarily by the Forest Service (FS, in the U.S. Department of Agriculture) and the Department of the Interior (DOI). These responsibilities include prevention, detection, response, and recovery related to fires that begin on federal lands. These responsibilities are accomplished through activities such as preparedness, suppression, fuel reduction, and site rehabilitation, among others. There are several ongoing concerns regarding federal wildfire management. These concerns include the total federal costs of wildfire management, the strategies and resources used for wildfire management, and the impact of wildfire on both the quality of life and the economy of communities surrounding wildfire activity. Many of these issues are of perennial interest to Congress, with annual wildfire management appropriations being one indicator of how Congress prioritizes and addresses certain wildfire management concerns. [...] Congress is debating several issues related to federal funding for wildfire management. They include the level of federal spending on wildland fire management as well as the effectiveness of that spending (e.g., whether the funding is allowing agencies to meet wildfire management targets). [...] This report provides an overview of the accounts that fund wildfire management activities and historical wildfire management appropriations data, as well as information on FY2018 appropriations."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hoover, Katie
2017-10-31
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Federal Assistance for Wildfire Response and Recovery [June 27, 2018]
From the Document: "Wildfires are unplanned and unwanted fires. Wildfires can have some beneficial impacts on an ecosystem, but also often threaten homes and communities and force the evacuation of thousands of people. Wildfires are often caused by lightning strikes, and may also occur when a prescribed burn escapes control or through unauthorized human activities (deliberate or accidental). Over the last 10 years (2008-2017), wildfires have burned 6.6 million acres annually on average in the United States. In 2017, more than 71,500 wildfires burned 10.0 million acres and destroyed more than 12,300 structures nationwide. More than 65% (8,065) of the structures destroyed were residences, and nearly 90% of the structures destroyed (11,000) were in a single state, California. Congress and other stakeholders have considered options for federal support and assistance to address wildfire suppression during a fire, post-wildfire recovery in the aftermath, and land management activities to reduce the risk of future catastrophic wildfires."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hoover, Katie
2018-06-27
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Wildfire Management Appropriations: Background and FY2017 Request [Updated August 2, 2016]
From the Document: "The Forest Service (FS, in the U.S. Department of Agriculture) and the Department of the Interior (DOI) are the two primary federal entities tasked with wildland fire management activities. Federal wildland fire management includes activities such as preparedness, suppression, fuel reduction, and site rehabilitation, among others. Approximately 10.1 million acres burned during the 2015 wildfire season, which was more than the acreage burned in 2014 (3.6 million acres) and 2013 (4.3 million acres) combined and represents the largest acreage burned since modern record-keeping began in 1960. There are several ongoing concerns regarding wildfire management. These concerns include the total federal costs of wildfire management, the strategies and resources used for wildfire management, and the impact of wildfire on both the quality of life and the economy of communities surrounding wildfire activity. Many of these issues are of perennial interest to Congress, with annual wildfire management appropriations being one indicator of how Congress prioritizes and addresses certain wildfire management concerns."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hoover, Katie; Bracmort, Kelsi
2016-08-02
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Wilderness: Overview, Management, and Statistics [Updated July 24, 2019]
From the Summary: "Congress enacted the Wilderness Act in 1964. This act created the National Wilderness Preservation System, reserved to Congress the authority to designate wilderness areas, and directed the Secretaries of Agriculture and of the Interior to review certain lands for their wilderness potential. The act also designated 54 wilderness areas with 9 million acres of federal land. Congress began expanding the Wilderness System in 1968, and as of July 15, 2019, there are 803 wilderness areas, totaling over 111 million acres, in 44 states and Puerto Rico. Numerous bills to designate additional areas and to expand existing ones have been introduced and considered in every Congress."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Riddle, Anne A.; Hoover, Katie
2019-07-24
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Federal Assistance for Wildfire Response and Recovery [Updated July 11, 2019]
From the Document: "Wildfires are unplanned and unwanted fires. Wildfires can have some beneficial impacts on an ecosystem, but they often threaten homes and communities and force the evacuation of thousands of people. Wildfires are often caused by lightning strikes, and may also occur when a prescribed burn escapes control or through unauthorized human activities (deliberate or accidental). Over the last 10 years (2009-2018), wildfires have burned 7.0 million acres annually on average in the United States. In 2018, more than 58,000 wildfires burned 8.8 million acres and destroyed nearly 25,800 structures nationwide. More than 70% (18,130) of the structures destroyed were residences, and approximately 94% of the structures destroyed (17,130) were in a single state, California."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hoover, Katie
2019-07-11
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Fire and Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon [September 9, 2019]
From the Document: "Media coverage of fires in the Brazilian Amazon forest is widespread. According to stakeholders, this media coverage is largely due to an increase in fire events and deforestation rates in the region this year compared to the past years, as well as statements made by Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro indicating his intent to pursue development in the region. [...] The Amazon is estimated to contain one-half of all global terrestrial carbon in tropical forests and consists of approximately 40% of all remaining tropical rainforests, according to scientific studies. The fate of the Amazon is a concern for many because of the biodiversity it hosts, its role in the global carbon cycle, and its effect on regional climate. Some scientists claim that 20%-25% deforestation in the Amazon can cause it to shift to a nonforest ecosystem, exacerbating the concerns above."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sheikh, Pervaze A.; Meyer, Peter J.; Procita, Kezee . . .
2019-09-09
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Wildfire Statistics [Updated May 31, 2019]
From the Document: "Wildfires are unplanned and unwanted fires, including lightning-caused fires, unauthorized human-caused fires, and escaped prescribed fire projects. States are responsible for responding to wildfires that begin on nonfederal (state, local, and private) lands, except for lands protected by federal agencies under cooperative agreements. The federal government is responsible for responding to wildfires that begin on federal lands. The Forest Service (FS)--within the U.S. Department of Agriculture--carries out wildfire management and response across the 193 million acres of the National Forest System. The Department of the Interior (DOI) manages wildfire response for more than 400 million acres of national parks, wildlife refuges and preserves, other public lands, and Indian reservations."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hoover, Katie; Hanson, Laura A.
2019-05-31
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Wildfire Statistics [Updated November 16, 2018]
"Wildfires are unplanned and unwanted fires, including lightning-caused fires, unauthorized human-caused fires, and escaped prescribed fire projects. States are responsible for responding to wildfires that begin on nonfederal (state, local, and private) lands, except for lands protected by federal agencies under cooperative agreements. The federal government is responsible for responding to wildfires that begin on federal lands. The Forest Service (FS)--within the U.S. Department of Agriculture--carries out wildfire management and response across the 193 million acres of the National Forest System. The Department of the Interior (DOI) manages wildfire response for more than 400 million acres of national parks, wildlife refuges and preserves, other public lands, and Indian reservations. Wildfire statistics help to illustrate past U.S. wildfire activity. Nationwide data compiled by the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) indicate that the number of annual wildfires is variable but has stayed relatively constant over the last 30 years and that the number of acres burned annually, while also variable, generally has increased (see Figure 1). Every year since 2000, an average of 73,200 wildfires burned an average of 6.9 million acres. This figure is nearly double the average annual acreage burned in the 1990s (3.3 million acres), although a greater number of fires occurred annually (78,600 on average)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hoover, Katie
2018-11-16
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Wildfire Statistics [Updated October 3, 2019]
From the Document: "Wildfires are unplanned and unwanted fires, including lightning-caused fires, unauthorized human-caused fires, and escaped prescribed fire projects. States are responsible for responding to wildfires that begin on nonfederal (state, local, and private) lands, except for lands protected by federal agencies under cooperative agreements. The federal government is responsible for responding to wildfires that begin on federal lands. The Forest Service (FS)--within the U.S. Department of Agriculture--carries out wildfire management and response across the 193 million acres of the National Forest System. The Department of the Interior (DOI) manages wildfire response for more than 400 million acres of national parks, wildlife refuges and preserves, other public lands, and Indian reservations. Wildfire statistics help to illustrate past U.S. wildfire activity."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hoover, Katie; Hanson, Laura A.
2019-10-03
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Wildfire Statistics [Updated September 3, 2019]
"Wildfires are unplanned and unwanted fires, including lightning-caused fires, unauthorized human-caused fires, and escaped prescribed fire projects. States are responsible for responding to wildfires that begin on nonfederal (state, local, and private) lands, except for lands protected by federal agencies under cooperative agreements. The federal government is responsible for responding to wildfires that begin on federal lands. The Forest Service (FS)--within the U.S. Department of Agriculture--carries out wildfire management and response across the 193 million acres of the National Forest System. The Department of the Interior (DOI) manages wildfire response for more than 400 million acres of national parks, wildlife refuges and preserves, other public lands, and Indian reservations."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hoover, Katie; Hanson, Laura A.
2019-09-03
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Wildfire Statistics [Updated August 1, 2019]
From the Document: "Wildfires are unplanned and unwanted fires, including lightning-caused fires, unauthorized human-caused fires, and escaped prescribed fire projects. States are responsible for responding to wildfires that begin on nonfederal (state, local, and private) lands, except for lands protected by federal agencies under cooperative agreements. The federal government is responsible for responding to wildfires that begin on federal lands. The Forest Service (FS)--within the U.S. Department of Agriculture--carries out wildfire management and response across the 193 million acres of the National Forest System. The Department of the Interior (DOI) manages wildfire response for more than 400 million acres of national parks, wildlife refuges and preserves, other public lands, and Indian reservations."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hoover, Katie; Hanson, Laura A.
2019-08-01
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Wildfire Statistics [Updated October 31, 2019]
From the Document: "Wildfires are unplanned and unwanted fires, including lightning-caused fires, unauthorized human-caused fires, and escaped prescribed fire projects. States are responsible for responding to wildfires that begin on nonfederal (state, local, and private) lands, except for lands protected by federal agencies under cooperative agreements. The federal government is responsible for responding to wildfires that begin on federal lands. The Forest Service (FS)--within the U.S. Department of Agriculture--carries out wildfire management and response across the 193 million acres of the National Forest System. The Department of the Interior (DOI) manages wildfire response for more than 400 million acres of national parks, wildlife refuges and preserves, other public lands, and Indian reservations. Wildfire statistics help to illustrate past U.S. wildfire activity. Nationwide data compiled by the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) indicate that the number of annual wildfires is variable but has decreased slightly over the last 30 years and that the number of acres burned annually, while also variable, generally has increased (see Figure 1). Every year since 2000, an average of 72,400 wildfires burned an average of 7.0 million acres. This figure is nearly double the average annual acreage burned in the 1990s (3.3 million acres), although a greater number of fires occurred annually in the 1990s (78,600 on average)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hoover, Katie; Hanson, Laura A.
2019-10-31
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Wildfire Spending: Background, Issues, and Legislation in the 114th Congress [July 7, 2015]
From the summary: "The federal government is responsible for managing wildfires that begin on federal lands--such as national forests or national parks--while the states are responsible for managing wildfires that originate on all other lands. The federal government's wildfire management responsibilities-- provided primarily through the Forest Service (FS) and Department of the Interior (DOI)-- include prevention, detection, response, and recovery. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) may also provide disaster relief for certain nonfederal wildfires. Congress appropriates wildfire management funding to both FS and DOI. Within their overall appropriations for wildfire, suppression operations are appropriated through two accounts for each agency: the Wildland Fire Management (WFM) accounts and the Federal Land Assistance, Management, and Enhancement Act (FLAME) reserve accounts. If the suppression funding in both of these accounts is exhausted during any given fiscal year, FS and DOI are authorized to transfer funds from their other accounts to pay for suppression activities. Congress also may provide additional funds for suppression activities through emergency or supplemental appropriations. Thus, for any given year, total suppression appropriations to FS or DOI may be a combination of three sources: the WFM suppression activity, the FLAME account, and supplemental appropriations, and the agencies also may access additional funding as needed through transfers."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hoover, Katie; Lindsay, Bruce R.; McCarthy, Francis X. . . .
2015-07-07
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Wildfire Spending: Background, Issues, and Legislation in the 114th Congress [August 25, 2015]
"The federal government is responsible for managing wildfires that begin on federal lands-such
as national forests or national parks-while the states are responsible for managing wildfires that
originate on all other lands. The federal government's wildfire management responsibilities-
provided primarily through the Forest Service (FS) and Department of the Interior (DOI)-
include prevention, detection, response, and recovery. The Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) may also provide disaster relief for certain nonfederal wildfires. [...] Congress is debating the level and direction of federal spending on wildland fire management.
Wildfire spending has more than doubled since the 1990s, going from $1.6 billion in FY1994 to
$3.9 billion in FY2014. A significant portion of that increase is related to rising suppression costs,
even during years of relatively mild wildfire activity, although the costs vary annually and are
difficult to predict in advance."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hoover, Katie; Lindsay, Bruce R.; McCarthy, Francis X. . . .
2015-08-25
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Wildfire Spending: Background, Issues, and Legislation in the 114th Congress [June 26, 2015]
"The federal government is responsible for managing wildfires that begin on federal lands--such as national forests or national parks--while the states are responsible for managing wildfires that originate on all other lands. The federal government's wildfire management responsibilities-- provided primarily through the Forest Service (FS) and Department of the Interior (DOI)-- include prevention, detection, response, and recovery. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) may also provide disaster relief for certain nonfederal wildfires. Congress appropriates wildfire management funding to both FS and DOI. Within their overall appropriations for wildfire, suppression operati ons are appropriated through two accounts for each agency: the Wildland Fire Management (WFM) accounts and the Federal Land Assistance, Management, and Enhancement Act (FLAME) reserve accounts. If the suppression funding in both of these accounts is exhausted during any given fiscal year, FS and DOI are authorized to transfer funds from their other accounts to pay for suppression activities. Congress also may provide additional funds for suppression activities through emergency or supplemental appropriations. Thus, for any given year, total suppression appropriations to FS or DOI may be a combination of three sources: the WFM suppression activity, the FLAME account, and supplemental appropriations, and the agencies also may access additional funding as needed through transfers."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hoover, Katie; Lindsay, Bruce R.; McCarthy, Francis X. . . .
2015-06-26
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Wildfire Management: Federal Funding and Related Statistics [February 4, 2015]
"Wildfires can have beneficial and harmful impacts on ecosystems (e.g., by reducing fuel loads, or by damaging communities and timber resources). These impacts are generally measured and discussed based on the priorities of humans in these ecosystems. Federal resources are typically deployed during wildfire season--an annual occurrence of intense wildfire activity typically running from summer into fall--to help manage wildfires and potentially minimize some of the impacts, including the loss of life and property. […] Federal funding for wildfire management is provided in the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill. The bill funds wildfire management at the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior, which are the two principal entities tasked with federal wildfire management. Federal wildfire response activities involve preparedness, suppression, fuel reduction, site rehabilitation, and more. More than $3.4 billion was appropriated for wildfire management in FY2015. The total wildfire management appropriations for 2014 were more than $3.9 billion and included $600 million for the Forest Service to reimburse wildfire transfers that occurred in FY2013. […] Proposals to create alternative mechanisms for funding wildfire suppression have been introduced in the 114th Congress (H.R. 167 and S. 235). […] The proposals would fund wildfire suppression for a select group of fires--theoretically the most extreme fires--by creating a new adjustment to the statutory discretionary spending limits. This report provides wildfire management appropriations data for FY2011-FY2015 and information on the President's FY2016 budget request for wildland fire management. The report also provides general wildfire management statistics (e.g., numbers of wildfires, acres burned, and firefighter personnel)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hoover, Katie; Bracmort, Kelsi
2015-02-04
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Wildfire Statistics [August 2, 2018]
"Wildfires are unplanned and unwanted fires, including lightning-caused fires, unauthorized human-caused fires, and escaped prescribed fire projects. States are responsible for responding to wildfires that begin on nonfederal (state, local, and private) lands, except for lands protected by federal agencies under cooperative agreements. The federal government is responsible for responding to wildfires that begin on federal lands. The Forest Service (FS)--within the U.S. Department of Agriculture--carries out wildfire management and response across the 193 million acres of the National Forest System. The Department of the Interior (DOI) manages wildfire response for more than 400 million acres of national parks, wildlife refuges and preserves, other public lands, and Indian reservations. Wildfire statistics help to illustrate past U.S. wildfire activity. Nationwide data compiled by the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) indicate that the number of annual wildfires is variable but has stayed relatively constant over the last 30 years and that the number of acres burned annually, while also variable, generally has increased. Every year since 2000, an average of 73,200 wildfires burned an average of 6.9 million acres. This figure is nearly double the average annual acreage burned in the 1990s (3.3 million acres), although a greater number of fires occurred annually (78,600 on average)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hoover, Katie
2018-08-02
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Wildfire Management Funding: Background, Issues, and FY2018 Appropriations [January 30, 2018]
"This report provides an overview of the accounts that fund wildfire management activities and historical wildfire management appropriations data, as well as information on FY2018 appropriations."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hoover, Katie
2018-01-30
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Wildfire Suppression Spending: Background, Issues, and Legislation in the 115th Congress [November 8, 2017]
"Congress has directed that the federal government is responsible for managing wildfires that begin on federal lands, such as national forests or national parks. States are responsible for managing wildfires that originate on all other lands. Although a greater number of wildfires occur annually on nonfederal lands, wildfires on federal lands tend to be much larger, particularly in the western United States. The federal government's wildfire management responsibilities--fulfilled primarily by the Forest Service (FS) and the Department of the Interior (DOI)--include preparedness, prevention, detection, response, suppression, and recovery. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) also may provide disaster relief, mostly for certain nonfederal wildfires. Congress provides appropriations for wildfire management to both FS and DOI. Within these appropriations, suppression operations are largely funded through two accounts for each agency: Wildland Fire Management (WFM) accounts and Federal Land Assistance, Management, and Enhancement Act (FLAME) reserve accounts. If the suppression funding in both of these accounts is exhausted during a fiscal year, FS and DOI are authorized to transfer funds from their other accounts to pay for suppression activities; this is often referred to as 'fire borrowing.' Congress also may provide additional funds for suppression activities through emergency or supplemental appropriations. Thus, for any given year, total suppression appropriations to FS or DOI may be a combination of several sources: the WFM accounts, the FLAME accounts, additional funding as needed through transfers, and/or supplemental appropriations."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hoover, Katie; Lindsay, Bruce R.
2017-11-08
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Federal Lands and Related Resources: Overview and Selected Issues for the 116th Congress [Updated March 18, 2019]
From the Document: "The Property Clause in the U.S. Constitution (Article IV, §3, clause 2) grants Congress the authority to acquire, dispose of, and manage federal property. The 116th Congress faces multiple policy issues related to federal lands and natural resources. These issues include how much and which land the government should own and how lands and resources should be used and managed. These issues affect local communities, industries, ecosystems, and the nation. [...] This report introduces some of the broad themes and issues Congress has considered when addressing federal land policy and resource management. These include questions about the extent and location of the federal estate. For example, typically Congress considers both measures to authorize and fund the acquisition of additional lands and measures to convey some land out of federal ownership or management. Other issues for Congress include whether certain lands or resources should have additional protections, for example, through resignation as wilderness or national monuments, or protection of endangered species and their habitat."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hoover, Katie; Comay, Laura B.; Crafton, R. Eliot . . .
2019-03-18
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Federal Land Ownership: Acquisition and Disposal Authorities [Updated March 26, 2019]
From the Document: "The federal government owns roughly 640 million acres, heavily concentrated in 12 western states. Four agencies--the National Park Service (NPS), Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in the Department of the Interior, and the U.S. Forest Service (FS) in the Department of Agriculture--administer about 95% of those lands."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hardy Vincent, Carol; Comay, Laura B.; Crafton, R. Eliot . . .
2019-03-26
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Federal Land Management Agencies [Updated April 26, 2019]
From the Document: "The Property Clause in the U.S. Constitution (Article IV, Section 3, clause 2) provides Congress the authority to acquire, dispose of, and manage federal property. Currently, approximately 640 million acres of surface land are managed by the federal government, accounting for nearly 28% of the 2.3 billion acres of land in the 50 states and District of Columbia."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hoover, Katie
2019-04-26
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Fire Management Assistance Grants: Frequently Asked Questions [Updated February 14, 2019]
"Section 420 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (P.L. 93-288, hereinafter the Stafford Act) authorizes the President to 'declare' a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG). In the interest of saving time, the authority to make the declaration has been delegated to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA's) Regional Administrators. Once issued, the FMAG declaration authorizes various forms of federal fire suppression assistance such as the provision of equipment, personnel, and grants to state, local, and tribal governments for the control, management, and mitigation of any fire on certain public or private forest land or grassland that might become a major disaster. This federal assistance requires a cost-sharing component such that state, local, and tribal governments are responsible for 25% of the expenses. This report answers frequently asked questions about FMAGs. This report will be updated as events warrant."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lindsay, Bruce R.; Hoover, Katie
2019-02-14
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Federal Lands and Natural Resources: Overview and Selected Issues for the 114th Congress [April 6, 2015]
"The Property Clause in the U.S. Constitution (Article IV, §3, Clause 2) grants Congress the authority to acquire, dispose of, and manage federal property. The 114th Congress may consider multiple federal land and natural resources policy and management issues. These issues are complex and often interrelated, and include how much and which land the government should own, and how lands and resources should be used and managed. These issues affect local communities, industries, ecosystems, and the nation. There are approximately 640 million surface acres of federally owned land in the United States. Four agencies (referred to in this report as the federal land management agencies, or FLMAs) administer approximately 609 million surface acres (95%) of federal lands: the Forest Service (FS) in the Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and National Park Service (NPS), all in the Department of the Interior (DOI). […]This report introduces some of the broad themes and issues Congress considers when addressing federal land policy and resource management, including questions about the extent and location of the federal estate. For example, legislation may be introduced in the 114th Congress to continue funding laws that authorize the acquisition of additional lands, and other legislation may propose to convey some land out of federal ownership or management. Other issues for Congress may include whether certain lands or resources should have additional protections, for example, by designating certain lands as wilderness or national monuments, or protecting endangered species and their habitat. Congress also may address questions about wildfire management on both federal and nonfederal lands, such as questions about funding suppression efforts."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hoover, Katie
2015-04-06
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Federal Lands and Natural Resources: Overview and Selected Issues for the 113th Congress [December 8, 2014]
"The Property Clause in the U.S. Constitution (Article IV, § 3, Clause 2) grants Congress the authority to acquire, dispose of, and manage federal property. The 113th Congress is considering multiple federal land and natural resources policy and management issues. These issues are complex and often interrelated, and include how much and which land the government should own, and how lands and resources should be used and managed. These issues affect local communities, industries, ecosystems, and the nation. […]This report introduces some of the broad themes and issues Congress considers when addressing federal land policy and resource management. Federal land policy includes questions about the extent and location of the federal estate. For example, some legislation in the 113th Congress would continue funding laws that authorize the acquisition of additional lands, while other legislation proposes conveying some land out of federal ownership or management. Other issues for Congress include whether certain lands or resources should have additional protections, for example, by designating certain lands as wilderness or national monuments, or protecting endangered species and their habitat. Congress may also address questions about wildfire management on both federal and nonfederal lands, including questions of how to fund suppression efforts."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hoover, Katie
2014-12-08
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Wildfire Statistics [Updated April 10, 2020]
From the Document: "Wildfires are unplanned and unwanted fires, including lightning-caused fires, unauthorized human-caused fires, and escaped prescribed fire projects. States are responsible for responding to wildfires that begin on nonfederal (state, local, and private) lands, except for lands protected by federal agencies under cooperative agreements. The federal government is responsible for responding to wildfires that begin on federal lands. The Forest Service (FS)--within the U.S. Department of Agriculture--carries out wildfire management and response across the 193 million acres of the National Forest System. The Department of the Interior (DOI) manages wildfire response for more than 400 million acres of national parks, wildlife refuges and preserves, other public lands, and Indian reservations."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hoover, Katie; Hanson, Laura A.
2020-04-10
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Federal Wildfire Management: Ten-Year Funding Trends and Issues (FY2011-FY2020) [October 28, 2020]
From the Summary: "Wildfire management is a series of coordinated activities to prepare for, resolve, and recover from wildfire events. The federal agencies responsible for wildfire management include the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service (FS) and the Department of the Interior (DOI). FS carries out wildfire response and management across the 193 million acres of national forests and national grasslands; DOI carries out these activities on more than 400million acres of national parks, wildlife refuges and preserves, Indian reservations, and other public lands. The federal agencies also coordinate wildfire response activities with state and local governments as needed. Both FS and DOI generally receive annual discretionary appropriations for wildfire management activities through the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bills. Wildfire management funding for DOI is provided to the Office of Wildland Fire (a department-level office). Both FS and DOI receive wildfire appropriations through similarly structured accounts, programs, and activities, though FS's account structure changed several times between FY2011 and FY2020. [...] Total combined FS and DOI wildfire appropriations fluctuated annually but increased from FY2011 to FY2020."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hoover, Katie
2020-10-28
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Wildfire Management Funding: FY2021 Appropriations [October 29, 2020]
From the Document: "The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service (FS) and the Department of the Interior (DOI) are responsible for wildfire response and management across the federal lands within their respective jurisdictions. Both FS and DOI generally receive annual discretionary appropriations for wildfire management activities through the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bills. Wildfire management funding for DOI is provided to the department-level Office of Wildland Fire. Wildfire management appropriations fluctuate annually but began to increase in the late 1990s and rose markedly after FY2000. A significant portion of the annual fluctuations and overall increase in funding is related to fire suppression costs, which vary considerably and may be high even during years of relatively mild wildfire activity."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hoover, Katie
2020-10-29
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Wildfire Statistics [Updated November 3, 2020]
From the Document: "Wildfires are unplanned and unwanted fires, including lightning-caused fires, unauthorized human-caused fires, and escaped prescribed fire projects. States are responsible for responding to wildfires that begin on nonfederal (state, local, and private) lands, except for lands protected by federal agencies under cooperative agreements. The federal government is responsible for responding to wildfires that begin on federal lands. The Forest Service (FS)--within the U.S. Department of Agriculture--carries out wildfire management and response across the 193 million acres of the National Forest System. The Department of the Interior (DOI) manages wildfire response for more than 400 million acres of national parks, wildlife refuges and preserves, other public lands, and Indian reservations."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hoover, Katie; Hanson, Laura A.
2020-11-03
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Wildfire Suppression Spending: Background, Issues, and Legislation in the 115th Congress
"Congress has directed that the federal government is responsible for managing wildfires that begin on federal lands, such as national forests or national parks. States are responsible for managing wildfires that originate on all other lands. Although a greater number of wildfires occur annually on nonfederal lands, wildfires on federal lands tend to be much larger, particularly in the western United States. The federal government's wildfire management responsibilities--fulfilled primarily by the Forest Service (FS) and the Department of the Interior (DOI)--include preparedness, prevention, detection, response, suppression, and recovery. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) also may provide disaster relief, mostly for certain nonfederal wildfires. Congress provides appropriations for wildfire management to both FS and DOI. Within these appropriations, suppression operations are largely funded through two accounts for each agency: Wildland Fire Management (WFM) accounts and Federal Land Assistance, Management, and Enhancement Act (FLAME) reserve accounts. If the suppression funding in both of these accounts is exhausted during any given fiscal year, FS and DOI are authorized to transfer funds from their other accounts to pay for suppression activities; this is often referred to as 'fire borrowing.' Congress also may provide additional funds for suppression activities through emergency or supplemental appropriations. Thus, for any given year, total suppression appropriations to FS or DOI may be a combination of several sources: the WFM accounts, the FLAME accounts, additional funding as needed through transfers, and/or supplemental appropriations."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hoover, Katie; Lindsay, Bruce R.
2017-10-05
