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To establish a community protection and wildfire resilience grant program, and for other purposes.
1/22/2025, 9:20 AM
Summary of Bill HR 582
The grant program will prioritize projects that focus on creating defensible space around homes and critical infrastructure, improving emergency preparedness and response capabilities, and enhancing community education and outreach efforts related to wildfire prevention. Additionally, the bill includes provisions for technical assistance and training to help communities develop and implement effective wildfire mitigation strategies.
The bill also includes requirements for grant recipients to report on the outcomes of their projects and to collaborate with neighboring communities and stakeholders to maximize the impact of their efforts. The goal of the Community Protection and Wildfire Resilience Grant Program is to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires and protect lives, property, and natural resources in at-risk communities. Overall, Bill 119 HR 582 seeks to address the growing threat of wildfires in the United States by providing resources and support to communities to help them better prepare for and respond to these natural disasters.
Congressional Summary of HR 582
Community Protection and Wildfire Resilience Act
This bill establishes a wildfire resilience grant program within the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), expands an existing U.S. Forest Service (USFS) wildfire risk reduction grant program, and requires the USFA and Government Accountability Office (GAO) to produce various reports and resources relating to wildfire resilience.
Specifically, the bill requires the USFA to award grants to state or local governments, tribes, volunteer fire departments, or groups thereof for developing a community protection and wildfire resilience plan or carrying out projects that support strategies described in such a plan.
Also, under current law, the USFS’s Community Wildfire Defense Grant program provides grants to at-risk communities for implementing wildfire risk reduction, including reducing hazardous fuels and restoring fire-adapted ecosystems, but excluding activities such as construction and home hardening (e.g., roof upgrades, fire-resistant siding). The bill expands the eligible project types to include construction or modification of a structure to increase fire-resistance and modification of a structure or the adjacent area to reduce exposure to contact with wildfire.
Additionally, the bill requires the USFA to develop and publish a map depicting communities at risk from wildfire. The USFA must also provide a report evaluating and ensuring public entities have radio communication capabilities adequate for wildfire management. The bill also requires the GAO to publish a study on potential certification for community protection and wildfire resilience plans, and a report assessing impediments for federal wildfire resilience programs.
