The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Department of the Interior (DOI) and FEMA announced on December 17 the establishment of a Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission. Establishing this commission fulfills a key provision of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and represents a critical step in combating the nation’s wildfire crisis and improving resilience in America’s landscapes.
The commission is tasked with recommending federal policies and strategies to more effectively prevent, mitigate, suppress and manage wildland fires, including rehabilitating land affected from wildland fires. It will include representation from federal, state, tribal, county and municipal governments as well as non-governmental stakeholders from private industry. Through a coordinated effort, the commission will deliver a report to Congress with practical policy recommendations one year from the first meeting. In addition, the commission will outline a strategy to cost effectively meet aerial firefighting equipment needs through 2030.
