119-hres467

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 467 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

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119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
H. RES. 467

 Designating May 2025 as ``National Wildfire Preparedness Month''.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 June 3, 2025

 Mrs. Torres of California (for herself, Mr. Valadao, Mr. LaMalfa, and 
 Mr. Obernolte) submitted the following resolution; which was referred 
 to the Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

 RESOLUTION

 Designating May 2025 as ``National Wildfire Preparedness Month''.

Whereas wildfires across the contiguous United States, Alaska, Hawaii, and the 
 United States territories have increased in scale, complexity, and 
 severity, fire seasons have lengthened in many parts of the United 
 States to encompass the entire year, and wildfire has become a threat in 
 regions of the United States that have little or no history of wildfire;
Whereas, in the United States from 2015 to 2024, an average of 62,435 wildfires 
 burned, consuming on average a total of 7,553,704 acres, which is 
 705,612 acres above the previous 10-year average;
Whereas, in the United States from January 1 to May 2, 2025, 22,759 wildfires 
 burned 988,319 acres, which is above both the 10-year average occurrence 
 of 15,639 wildfires and the average 10-year burned area of 951,468 
 acres;
Whereas, from May 2025 to August 2025, over 60 percent of States in the United 
 States are predicted to be at risk for significant wildfire events, and 
 over 50 percent of States are expected to face above-normal risks for 
 significant wildfire events;
Whereas nearly 85 percent of wildland fires in the United States are caused by 
 humans;
Whereas Federal wildfire suppression efforts cost over $2,500,000,000 per year, 
 and the total cost of wildfire damage across the United States is 
 estimated to be tens to hundreds of billions of dollars per year;
Whereas significant investments in proactive planning, mitigation, and risk 
 reduction are necessary for the United States to counteract increasingly 
 severe wildfire risk, damage, and loss;
Whereas firefighters are on the front lines and are at an increased risk of 
 developing cancer and respiratory diseases because they are exposed to 
 smoke and hazardous chemicals in the line of duty;
Whereas the effects of long-term exposure to wildfire smoke will harm more 
 people, as particulate pollution triggers asthma attacks, heart attacks, 
 and strokes, and can kill;
Whereas preventative measures exist to help individuals and communities increase 
 their fire resilience through--

    (1) reducing the risk of home ignition by using fire-resistant 
construction materials and maintaining yard vegetation;

    (2) community planning that reduces home wildfire exposure and 
increases access for firefighters;

    (3) evacuation planning and assistance for people and their animals;

    (4) vegetation and forest management; and

    (5) limited use of combustibles during high heat or drier seasons, 
including fireworks, exhaust, and open flames; and

Whereas a nationally designated Wildfire Preparedness Month--

    (1) increases awareness of the threat of wildfires and knowledge of 
lifesaving and fire mitigation practices; and

    (2) promotes educational initiatives, encourages community programming, 
and increases overall knowledge and preparedness: Now, therefore, be it

 Resolved, That the House of Representatives--

    (1) expresses support for the designation of ``National 
 Wildfire Preparedness Month'';

    (2) encourages increased awareness of, and preparedness 
 for, the threat of wildfires and subsequent suppression efforts 
 at the Federal, State, local, and Tribal levels of government, 
 including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian communities, and by 
 nongovernmental organizations and communities; and

    (3) supports resources and educational initiatives that 
 communicate how communities at risk of exposure to wildfire 
 hazards can take preventative measures, including, home 
 hardening, land management practices that reduce or remove 
 highly flammable grasses and shrubs, instituting or enhancing 
 early warning systems, reducing unplanned human ignitions, 
 reducing adverse health impacts from smoke and fire exposure, 
 and safely and efficiently evacuating people and their animals.
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