FEMA & Wildfires — A Bill For Federal Involvement

The FIRE Act has passed the U.S. Senate by a unanimous vote. It will now be heard in the U.S. House. The law — if passed and signed into law by the president — will have the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) getting more involved in wildfires much the same way it deals with hurricanes, flooding and tornadoes.

California Sen. Alex Padilla introduced the bill and said, “FEMA’s current procedures and requirements don’t always work for post-wildfire recovery needs. This bill will close those gaps.”

The bill will increase the amount of money FEMA can spend on disasters like wildfires. That’s important but what may even be more important is letting FEMA send resources to some areas before a fire starts.

The bill has FEMA monitoring states for red-flag warnings. When one is issued, it will be required to respond.

New Mexico Democrat, Sen. Martin Heinrich co-sponsored the legislation.

“I’m looking for additional resources to combat elevating wildfire risks at the federal level,” he said. “That’s why I’m cosponsoring the FIRE Act to better prepare FEMA’s capabilities to prepare for and respond to wildfires in New Mexico.”

The FIRE Act — if passed — will cost $137 million over 10 years.