Fire Ready Nation Act of 2025
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The bill would direct NOAA to establish a permanent, coordinated fire weather services program, a fire weather testbed for drones and new technology, and an Incident Meteorologist Service, while authorizing $148 million over five years to fund the effort.
It would also update the national weather-observation network, waive federal premium-pay caps for wildland firefighters and fire meteorologists through 2025, and require GAO reviews of the program and interagency wildfire coordination, aiming to close forecasting gaps as wildfires grow more severe.
What this bill would do
What it would do
The bill would give NOAA statutory authority to run a coordinated fire weather services program covering forecasting, wildfire smoke, post-fire flooding, and related hazards, including a public digital platform for its data and tools. It would establish a fire weather testbed to evaluate new technologies, including a drone research and pilot program, and would create an Incident Meteorologist Service within the National Weather Service to deploy meteorologists to active wildfire incidents. It would also require NOAA to assess and, if needed, update the national Automated Surface Observing System and the wildfire risk rating system, and to conduct annual post-fire-season data reviews. The bill would waive certain premium-pay caps during 2025 for federal wildland firefighters, fire management officials, and accompanying incident meteorologists, and would require a workforce plan to reduce reliance on such waivers going forward. It would direct GAO to report on the new program's implementation and on overlapping interagency wildfire bodies, and would authorize $15 million to $50 million annually from FY2026 through FY2030, rather than mandating specific spending levels.
Key provisions
- 1Would establish and maintain a coordinated NOAA fire weather services program covering forecasting, smoke, and post-fire hazards, with a public digital platform.
- 2Would create a fire weather testbed, including a research and pilot program on using drones (uncrewed aircraft systems) to improve wildfire data collection.
- 3Would require annual post-fire-season surveys and a joint assessment and upgrade plan for the Automated Surface Observing System.
- 4Would establish an Incident Meteorologist Service within the National Weather Service to provide on-site support during significant wildfire events.
- 5Would waive federal premium-pay limitations during 2025 for wildland firefighters, fire management officials, and accompanying incident meteorologists.
- 6Would direct the Under Secretary to evaluate and, if necessary, update the existing wildfire risk rating system.
- 7Would require GAO reports on the fire weather program's implementation and on overlapping federal interagency wildfire coordination bodies.
Who would be affected
NOAA, the National Weather Service, and their meteorologists and incident response staff; federal land management agencies including the Forest Service, Interior Department, and FEMA; wildland firefighters and fire management officials at the Departments of Commerce, Agriculture, and the Interior; and state, local, tribal, and Native Hawaiian government partners and rural communities relying on wildfire forecasts.
Why it matters
Communities in fire-prone areas could gain more timely, localized fire weather forecasts, smoke alerts, and on-site meteorologist support during major wildfires. Federal firefighters and fire meteorologists would keep fuller pay during high-demand fire seasons without hitting premium-pay caps, while Congress would get GAO oversight reports assessing whether the new program and existing interagency wildfire bodies are working effectively and without duplication.
What would change
Changes to existing law
Amends National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Authorization Act of 1992 (Sec. 4)
Adds a requirement to report on research transitioned into operations, including from the new fire weather testbed.
Amends Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 (Sec. 5)
Adds new data availability, management, and interoperability requirements for NOAA data and metadata.
Amends John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act (Sec. 5)
Adds NOAA to wildfire technology modernization consultation and collaboration requirements on smoke prediction.
Amends Title 5, United States Code (premium pay limitations, Sec. 5547 and 5542) (Sec. 8)
Waives certain premium-pay aggregate limits for covered wildfire employees during 2025 and adds Commerce Department to overtime pay provisions.
Agencies directed to act
Effective dates
- Program administration plan for the fire weather services program due to Congress
- Fire Science and Technology Working Group must be established
- Premium pay waiver for covered wildfire employees applies
- Plan to address workforce needs for covered fire employees due
- Joint report on Automated Surface Observing System assessment and plan due
- Report to Congress on fire weather program plan, workforce needs, and support assessments due
- Strategic plan from Interagency Committee on fire environment research due
- GAO report on the fire weather services program due
- GAO report on interagency wildfire coordination bodies due
- GAO report on Automated Surface Observing System due
Funding and costs
- $15,000,000
Carry out the Act's NOAA fire weather programs
- $20,000,000
Carry out the Act's NOAA fire weather programs
- $27,000,000
Carry out the Act's NOAA fire weather programs
- $36,000,000
Carry out the Act's NOAA fire weather programs
- $50,000,000
Carry out the Act's NOAA fire weather programs
Congressional Budget Office estimate
CBO estimates the Fire Ready Nation Act of 2025 would cost $95 million in discretionary spending over the 2025–2030 period, with a negligible (under $500,000) effect on direct spending and no effect on revenues or the deficit.
The bill would authorize NOAA to establish a fire weather services program — including wildfire forecasting, grants to non-federal entities, pilot unmanned-systems projects, and a new Incident Meteorologist Service within the National Weather Service. CBO estimates that implementing these provisions would require $95 million in discretionary appropriations (spending that Congress must separately approve each year) over 2025–2030, and an additional $51 million after 2030. The bill would also increase direct (mandatory) spending by less than $500,000 over the 2025–2035 period, due to a one-time premium-pay provision for Commerce Department employees involved in emergency wildfire suppression. CBO identified no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates in the bill.
How implementation would work
NOAA's Under Secretary would stand up the fire weather program across existing agency offices, issue an administration plan within 180 days, and use grants, cooperative agreements, and co-location agreements to fund non-federal partners. A fire weather testbed and drone pilot program would test new technologies before transitioning them to operations. Annual post-fire-season assessments, a joint Automated Surface Observing System upgrade plan, and periodic workforce and budget reports would flow to congressional committees, while GAO would independently evaluate program implementation and interagency coordination on set multi-year timelines.
Legislative status & sources
Latest action
Held at the desk.
Official CRS summary
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This bill provides statutory authority for existing wildfire response services of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and establishes new programs and collaborative efforts to improve fire forecasting and readiness.
Specifically, in addition to other efforts, the bill directs NOAA to
- establish a coordinated fire weather services program to support readiness for and responsiveness to wildfires, fire weather, smoke, post-fire flooding and debris, and related hazards;
- develop a digital presence to promote access to and use of the services, tools, data, and information produced by the fire weather services program;
- establish a fire weather test bed to facilitate the evaluation and implementation of new capabilities, including through research and development on the use of uncrewed aircraft systems (commonly known as drones) to improve data collection;
- conduct an annual assessment after the close of fire weather season to investigate data gaps and update systems as needed;
- evaluate and update, as appropriate, the Automated Surface Observing System (the primary surface weather network in the United States) and the system used to rate the risk of wildfire; and
- establish an Incident Meteorologist Service within the National Weather Service to provide on-site support before, during, and after significant weather-related events.
The bill also exempts federal wildland firefighters, fire management response officials, and accompanying incident meteorologists and management teams from certain premium pay limitations.
Finally, the bill directs the Government Accountability Office to evaluate and report on the implementation of the fire weather services program, among other topics.
Legislative subjects
Advanced technology and technological innovations; Atmospheric science and weather; Computers and information technology; Congressional oversight; Emergency communications systems; Emergency planning and evacuation; Environmental assessment, monitoring, research; Environmental technology; Fires; First responders and emergency personnel; Forests, forestry, trees; Government information and archives; Government studies and investigations; Intergovernmental relations; Research and development; Science, Technology, Communications; State and local government operations
Committee report
S. Rept. 119-42