This bill establishes a network of at least seven regional wildland fire research centers across the United States, with at least one center in each of seven designated regions including Alaska, California, the Northern Rockies, Pacific Northwest, Pacific Islands, Southeast, and Southwest. The centers will be located at institutions of higher education or land-grant universities and will focus on coordinating research to better understand wildfire causes, behavior, mitigation strategies, and impacts on public health and ecosystems. The bill affects academic institutions, federal fire management agencies including the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management, state governments, Indian tribes, and wildland firefighters who will benefit from improved research and decision-support tools. Congress will authorize $60 million in fiscal year 2024, increasing to $64 million by 2028 for the regional centers, plus $1 million annually for a National Center Coordination Board that will oversee the centers' activities and ensure collaboration among research entities. The bill requires progress reports to Congress at two and four years after enactment.
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