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House subcommittee hears bills to set federal wildfire response standard and improve readiness
Summary
The House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands heard testimony supporting HR 40 38, which would require the Agriculture and Interior departments to assess ignitions on federal lands within 30 minutes and deploy suppression assets within three hours; witnesses urged clearer federal-local coordination, improved resource visibility, and sustained year‑round readiness.
The House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands on Wednesday examined HR 40 38, the Wildfire Response and Preparedness Act, which would direct the Departments of Agriculture and the Interior to establish a national standard to assess wildland fire ignitions within 30 minutes and, to the greatest extent practicable, deploy suppression assets within three hours.
Representative Young Kim (speaking for the bill) told the committee that ‘‘when federal response is delayed or inconsistent, the burden falls on the local fire departments,’’ and that a national benchmark would ‘‘give our federal and local firefighters and emergency managers the clarity they need to act fast.’’ (Representative Kim, opening remarks.)
John Crockett, deputy chief…
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