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This bill establishes a network of regional wildland fire research centers across the United States to improve scientific understanding of wildfires and develop better prevention, management, and response tools. The Department of Agriculture and Department of the Interior will competitively select at least eight universities or land-grant colleges to host these centers, with at least one in each of eight defined regions (Alaska, California, Pacific Northwest, Pacific Islands, Plains and Northeast, Rockies, Southeast, and Southwest). The bill funds $60–64 million annually through 2030 for the regional centers and $1 million yearly for a coordinating board that will oversee research priorities, prevent duplicative efforts, and share data across centers. Each center will conduct research on fire behavior and prevention, develop new technologies and models, create workforce training programs, and work with federal and state fire management agencies. Regional advisory boards will ensure the research addresses practical operational needs of land managers and firefighters, while the coordinating board will hold quarterly meetings and publish annual reports to Congress on research progress.

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