119-hr753

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 753 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 753

 To direct the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration to maintain a program that improves wildfire forecasting 
 and detection, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 January 28, 2025

 Ms. Chu (for herself, Mrs. Kim, and Ms. Brownley) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, 
 and Technology

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To direct the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration to maintain a program that improves wildfire forecasting 
 and detection, and for other purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Fire Information and Reaction 
Enhancement Act of 2025'' or the ``FIRE Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. WILDFIRE FORECASTING AND DETECTION.

    (a) In General.--

    (1) Establishment.--The Administrator of the National 
 Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in collaboration with 
 the United States weather industry and such academic entities 
 as the Administrator considers appropriate, shall establish a 
 program within such Administration to improve wildfire 
 forecasting and detection.

    (2) Goals.--The goals of the program under paragraph

    (1) shall be to develop and extend accurate wildfire forecasts and 
 warnings in order to reduce loss of life, injury, property, and 
 damage to the economy, with a focus on improving the following:
        (A) The prediction of intensification and spread of 
 wildfires.
        (B) The forecast and communication of smoke 
 dispersion from wildfires.
            (C) Information dissemination and risk 
 communication to create more effective watch and 
 warning products.
            (D) The early detection of wildfires to contain 
 their growth and mitigate damages.

    (3) Elements.--In order to meet the goals specified in 
 paragraph

    (2) , the Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
 Atmospheric Administration is authorized to conduct 
 development, testing, and deployment activities related to the 
 following:
        (A) Advanced satellite detection products.
        (B) Grid-based assessments and outlooks of fuel 
 moisture and danger levels.
            (C) Coupled atmosphere and fire modeling systems.
            (D) Systems to link climate predictions to 
 achievable land management decisions.
        (E) Improved spatial and temporal resolution 
 observations in high latitudes.

    (b) Construction Authorization.--

    (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
 the enactment of this Act, the Assistant Administrator for the 
 Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, in partnership with 
 industry and academic partners, shall establish a program to 
 create one or more weather research testbeds to develop 
 improved detection of and forecast capabilities for wildfire 
 events and their impacts.

    (2) Resources.--In carrying out the program under paragraph

    (1) , the Assistant Administrator for the Office of Oceanic and 
 Atmospheric Research may not utilize resources for such 
 testbeds from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
 Administration cooperative institutes in existence as of the 
 date of enactment of this Act.

    (3) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
 to be appropriated $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2026 to carry 
 out the program under paragraph

    (1) .
 <all>