Fix Our Forests Act

Purpose & Problem

Is the problem real and worth federal action?

The bill aims to reduce wildfire risk on federal, tribal, and public lands by speeding up forest management reviews and creating new interagency tools. Congress stated the goal is to restore resilience to overgrown, fire-prone forests.

Scope & Related Provisions

Does it stay focused, or carry unrelated add-ons?

The bill mostly stays focused on wildfire and forest management. It also adds provisions on white oak tree restoration, biochar research, and utility line vegetation clearing, which go beyond the central wildfire risk reduction purpose.

Who Is Affected

Who benefits, and who bears the cost?

Federal land managers, tribal governments, state and local governments, and communities near fire-prone forests face new duties or gain new tools. Electric utilities, local fire departments, and wildland firefighters and their families also fall under the bill's reach.

Cost & Funding

Is it affordable and responsibly funded?

The bill does not include a CBO cost estimate in the sources. Many programs depend on future appropriations. The federal government would bear costs to run the Fireshed Center, strike teams, and new research programs. Local fire departments gain a clearer path to reimbursement from federal agencies for shared fire suppression costs.

Risks & Implementation

What could go wrong in practice?

The bill requires many agencies to coordinate within tight deadlines, which may strain staff capacity. New limits on court review and shortened filing windows change how legal challenges work, and agencies must implement standardized tracking procedures within 90 days of enactment.

TITLE I--LANDSCAPE-SCALE RESTORATION

This title sets up a system to identify and manage high-risk wildfire areas called fireshed management areas. It creates a new interagency Fireshed Center to collect and share wildfire data, and it allows federal agencies to carry out forest treatment projects in those areas using faster approval processes. It also expands existing programs for collaborative forest restoration, grazing for fire risk reduction, watershed protection, and limits on court orders that could stop these projects.

TITLE II--PROTECTING COMMUNITIES IN THE WILDLAND-URBAN INTERFACE

This title creates two new programs to help communities near forests reduce wildfire risk, including a joint agency program to coordinate grants and technical help, and a research program to test fire-resistant building designs. It also expands the area utilities can clear trees near power lines from 10 to 150 feet, speeds up permit approvals for vegetation management plans, and sets up a strategy to grow and store native seeds for replanting after wildfires. Finally, it requires the government to pay local fire departments faster when they help fight fires on federal land.

TITLE III--TRANSPARENCY, TECHNOLOGY, AND PARTNERSHIPS

This title sets up programs to track and report on wildfire fuel reduction work, test new firefighting technologies through public-private partnerships, promote biochar production from forest waste, and restore white oak forests across federal and private lands. It also requires studies on Forest Service operations, pine beetle infestations, and aerial firefighting systems. Agencies must publish forest plans online and keep them current, and electrical utilities can clear trees near power lines on national forest land without a separate timber sale.

TITLE IV--ENSURING CASUALTY ASSISTANCE FOR OUR FIREFIGHTERS

This title requires the Secretary of the Interior to create a Wildland Fire Management Casualty Assistance Program within six months. The program must handle notifications to families, cover travel costs for relatives visiting injured or killed firefighters, and provide case management and counseling support. It also sets up a website where families can find information about available federal benefits and how to file complaints.