Fix Our Forests Act aims to streamline how US mitigates wildfire risk Image By EPN Staff Key Points The Fix Our Forests Act (S. 1462), led by Sen. John Curtis (R-UT), advanced out of the Senate Agriculture Committee on an 18-5 vote, aiming to modernize federal wildfire prevention and forest management practices. The bill streamlines environmental reviews, limits legal challenges, and allows faster thinning, prescribed burns, and vegetation management, helping states and contractors act quickly in high-risk “fire sheds.” With wildfire frequency rising nationwide, the legislation seeks to protect communities, reduce costs, and create economic value by enabling contractors to monetize forest restoration materials like timber and biomass. The Fix Our Forests Act (S. 1462) cleared the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry on an 18-5 vote last month, marking a significant step toward cutting red tape in wildfire prevention and forest management. The measure, introduced by John Curtis (R-UT) with bipartisan support, would modernize how the federal government combats catastrophic wildfires by empowering states and private contractors to act faster on thinning, prescribed burns, and restoration work to keep forests healthy and communities safe. Why it matters Fire frequency doubled in the East and West and quadrupled in the Great Plains in the last 25 years, according to one study. Poor forest management is a major factor – research shows forest restoration and fuels reduction works. Thinning plus prescribed burns can reduce wildfire severity by up to 72% compared with untreated forests. The Fix Our Forests Act (FOFA) would streamline prevention work in high-risk areas while reducing regulatory and legal hurdles. For states with large national forests — like Utah, Montana, Oregon, Wyoming, and New Mexico — reducing procedural delays under federal review means thousands of acres of high-risk forests can be treated sooner. Faster approvals equal fewer destroyed homes, evacuations, and insurance burdens. The bigger picture There are also economic benefits – when contractors can sell removed timber, biomass, or other materials, it monetizes fuel reduction instead of treating it purely as a cost to taxpayers. One study found that with strategic forest fuels treatment “individual ecosystem service benefits can range from several hundred to several thousand dollars per hectare, with total benefits exceeding $10,000/ha at a landscape level.” Zooming in The bill takes significant steps to clear regulatory bottlenecks in wildfire prevention, detection, and mitigation. Here’s how FOFA cuts red tape: Streamlines environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) — expanding categorical exclusions Ends duplicative endangered-species reviews so thinning and prescribed burns can happen faster Limits certain legal challenges to reduce injunctions and serial lawsuits that stall on-the-ground treatments Allows utilities and contractors greater flexibility to clear trees and vegetation near transmission lines on federal lands more quickly The bill also designates “firesheds” to prioritize treatments in regions most vulnerable to catastrophic wildfires, creates a Wildfire Intelligence Center to coordinate real-time satellite data and predictive modeling across agencies, and invests in reforestation, reseeding, and community fire-resilience programs. What’s next The bill now heads to the full Senate for consideration. A House version of the bill introduced by Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-AR) already passed 279-141 in January. SUGGESTED STORIES Study: Wildfire smoke-induced deaths match auto crash fatalities The effects of devastating wildfires can stretch far beyond the scorched landscape, with tens of thousands of Americans dying annually of respiratory illnesses and other diseases linked to toxic smoke from fires that consume open lands and communities, according to a recent Read more Feds streamline agency websites as critics lament loss of public datasets Federal climate and health datasets are disappearing from public websites, sparking concern from researchers, advocacy groups and policymakers. Since early 2025, agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Centers for Di Read more As wildfire risks grow, utilities and industry push for solutions A broad new coalition will push for more federal action to prevent wildfires, arguing that the problem calls for a coordinated national strategy. Partners in Wildfire Prevention includes utility and business associations, public safety groups and a range of community interest groups Read more
Study: Wildfire smoke-induced deaths match auto crash fatalities The effects of devastating wildfires can stretch far beyond the scorched landscape, with tens of thousands of Americans dying annually of respiratory illnesses and other diseases linked to toxic smoke from fires that consume open lands and communities, according to a recent Read more
Feds streamline agency websites as critics lament loss of public datasets Federal climate and health datasets are disappearing from public websites, sparking concern from researchers, advocacy groups and policymakers. Since early 2025, agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Centers for Di Read more
As wildfire risks grow, utilities and industry push for solutions A broad new coalition will push for more federal action to prevent wildfires, arguing that the problem calls for a coordinated national strategy. Partners in Wildfire Prevention includes utility and business associations, public safety groups and a range of community interest groups Read more
