H.R. 178: To require the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out activities to suppress wildfires, and for other purposes.

This bill, designated as H.R. 178, aims to strengthen the efforts of the Secretary of Agriculture in suppressing wildfires on National Forest System lands. The primary components of the bill are outlined below:

Wildfire Suppression Mandates

The Chief of the Forest Service, under the direction of the Secretary of Agriculture, is required to:

• Utilize all available resources to extinguish wildfires detected on covered National Forest System lands within 24 hours of detection.
• Immediately suppress any prescribed fires that exceed their intended scope or conditions.
• Ensure that the suppression efforts do not interfere with the activities of state or local firefighting agencies that are authorized to respond to wildfires.
• Limit the use of fire as a management tool strictly to prescribed fires that comply with existing laws and regulations.
• Only initiate backfires or burnout operations during a wildfire under specific conditions, such as an order from the incident commander or to protect firefighting personnel's safety.
• Use all available resources to control any initiated backfire or burnout until it is fully extinguished.

Definition of Covered Lands

The bill defines "covered National Forest System lands" based on specific criteria:

• These lands must be located within National Forest System areas.
• They must meet one of the following conditions:
  • Rated as having a D2 (severe drought), D3 (extreme drought), or D4 (exceptional drought) intensity according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
  • Declared by the National Interagency Fire Center to have a National Wildland Fire Preparedness level of 5.
  • Identified by the Forest Service as being in the top 10 percent of wildfire exposure risk based on recently published models of fireshed risk exposure.

Implementation and Oversight

The bill mandates immediate action and resource allocation for wildfire suppression, emphasizing proactive measures to manage wildfire risks effectively. The collaboration between federal and local firefighting agencies is intended to enhance overall safety and effectiveness in response to wildfires.

Exclusions and Limitations

While emphasizing the use of fire for management purposes, the bill restricts this practice to controlled conditions and requires strict adherence to legal standards, ensuring that wildfire suppression efforts are prioritized over potential management actions.

Relevant Companies

• PLNT (Planet Fitness): May see changes in outdoor marketing or membership promotions in areas affected by wildfires.
• CCK (Crown Holdings): Potential impacts on packaging operations in regions affected by wildfires, which may disrupt supply chains.
• DOW (Dow Inc.): Might experience fluctuations in operations depending on the locations of their facilities near high-risk wildfire zones.