Order Code RS21544
Updated May 2, 2005
CRS Report for Congress
Received through the CRS Web
Wildfire Protection Funding
Ross W. Gorte
Specialist in Natural Resources Policy
Resources, Science, and Industry Division
Summary
The severe 2000 fire season prompted a significant rise in funding for wildfire
protection that has been sustained; wildfire appropriations in FY2005 were more than
$2.9 billion. Most of the funds ($2.8 billion in FY2005) are to protect federal lands,
with funds for reducing fuel loads, for equipment and training, for fighting fires, and for
restoring burned sites. Federal funding ($98 million in FY2005) also supports state
efforts to protect nonfederal lands. Some wildfire funding ($74 million in FY2005) is
used for fire research, fire facilities, and programs to improve forest health. Congress
continues to debate wildfire funding levels, with a growing focus on the cost of wildfire
suppression. This report will be updated annually to reflect changes in wildfire funding.
The 2000 and 2002 fire seasons were, by most standards, among the worst in the past
50 years, prompting substantial debate and proposals related to fire protection programs
and funding. The severe 2000 fires led President Clinton to propose a new National Fire
Plan, to increase funding to protect federal, state, and private lands. Congress largely
enacted this request, and has maintained higher wildfire funding. (See Table 1.)
The severe 2002 fire season led the Bush Administration to propose a Healthy
Forests Initiative to expedite procedures for reducing the fuel levels on federal lands.
Following extensive congressional discussions, Congress enacted the Healthy Forests
Restoration Act of 2003 (P.L. 108-148) to expedite fuel reduction on federal lands and
to authorize other forest protection programs. (For more on wildfire legislation, see CRS
Report RS22024, Wildfire Protection in the 108th Congress, by Ross W. Gorte.)
This report briefly describes the three categories of federal programs for wildfire
protection. One is to protect the federal lands managed by the USDA Forest Service (FS)
and the U.S. Department of the Interior (with wildfire programs coordinated by the
Bureau of Land Management [BLM]). A second category assists state and local
governments and communities in protecting nonfederal lands; these programs are used
to reduce wildland fuels, to otherwise prepare for fire control, to contain and control
wildfires, and to respond after severe wildfires have burned. A third category of federal
programs supports fire research, fire facilities, and improvements in forest health.
Congressional Research Service { The Library of Congress

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CRS-2
Table 1. Total Appropriations to Wildfire Accounts, FY1999-FY2006
(in millions of dollars)
FY2005
FY2006
FY1999
FY2000
FY2001
FY2002
FY2003
FY2004
Enacted
Request
Forest Service
722.4
1,008.0
1,882.8
1,560.3
2,290.0
2,347.0
a2,128.5
b1,725.5
BLM
336.9
591.0
977.1
678.4
875.2
883.6
831.3
756.6
Total Wildfire
1,059.3
1,598.9
2,859.9
2,238.8
3,165.1
3,230.6
2,929.8
2,482.1
Note: the totals in this table are the sum of totals in the other tables, excluding the wildfire assistance programs
funded through FS State & Private Forestry.
a. Includes $30.0 million for fuel reduction and related activities in the San Bernardino NF enacted in §8098
of P.L. 108-287.
b. Includes $281.0 million for fuel reduction proposed for the National Forest System instead of for Wildland
Fire Management.
The tables in this report present data on funding for the three categories of federal
fire programs. The FS and BLM use three fire appropriation accounts — preparedness,
suppression operations, and other operations — to fund most federal fire programs.
However, the agencies include different activities in the accounts (e.g., the BLM includes
fire research and fire facility funding in the preparedness account, while the FS includes
these in other operations) and the accounts change over time (e.g., the agencies split
operations funding into suppression and other operations in 2001). Thus, the data, taken
from the agency budget justifications for the National Fire Plan have been rearranged for
the tables in this report to present consistent data and trends on the three categories of
federal wildfire programs over an eight-year period.
Federal Lands
One category of wildfire management funding is for protecting federal lands. Table
2 shows wildfire management appropriations for FY1999-FY2005 and the FY2006
budget request for protecting federal lands from wildfires. (Current information on fire
management appropriations is contained in CRS Report RL32893, Interior and Related
Agencies: Appropriations for FY2006, coordinated by Carol Hardy Vincent and Susan
Boren.) The table includes the FY2006 request for fuel treatment funds, which the FS has
proposed to fund under the National Forest System, rather than under Wildfire
Management. The data in this table exclude funding for the other two categories of
federal wildfire funding — for assistance to state and local governments, communities,
and private landowners and for research, fire facility maintenance, and forest health
improvement. The BLM included funds for fire research and fire facilities under its
Preparedness budget line item through FY2004; these funds have been excluded from the
table. Table 2 shows appropriations by fiscal year, with emergency funding identified for
the year in which it was provided, rather than in the year it was spent. The agencies are
authorized to borrow from other accounts for fire suppression, and emergency funds
generally repay these borrowings.

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CRS-3
Table 2. Wildfire Funding to Protect Federal Lands, FY1999-FY2006
($ in millions)
FY2005
FY2006
FY1999
FY2000
FY2001
FY2002
FY2003
FY2004
Enacted
Request
Forest Service
722.4
1,008.0
1,702.4
1,415.6
2,162.7
2,233.2
2,026.2
1,659.5
Fuel Reduction a
65.0
70.0
205.2
209.0
236.6
258.3
292.5
b 281.0
Preparedness c
374.8
408.8
611.1
622.6
612.0
671.6
676.5
676.0
Suppression
180.6
139.2
319.3
255.3
418.0
597.1
648.9
700.5
Emergency Funds d
102.0
390.0
425.1
266.0
889.0
699.2
395.5
0.0
Site Rehab. e
0.0
0.0
141.7
62.7
7.1
6.9
12.8
2.0
BLM
327.9
577.7
929.1
640.6
845.0
853.6
801.3
742.7
Fuel Reduction
f 33.8
47.0
195.0
186.2
185.6
183.9
201.4
211.2
Preparedness c
147.9
152.6
276.7
253.0
255.2
254.2
258.9
272.9
Suppression
96.2
158.1
153.1
127.4
159.3
192.9
218.4
234.2
Emergency Funds
50.0
200.0
199.6
54.0
225.0
198.4
98.6
0.0
Site Rehab. g
0.0
20.0
104.8
20.0
19.9
24.2
23.9
24.5
Total 1,050.3
1,585.6
2,631.5
2,056.3
3,007.6
3,086.8
2,827.5
2,402.2
Fuel Reduction
98.8
117.0
400.1
395.2
422.3
442.2
463.9
492.2
Preparedness
522.7
561.3
887.9
875.7
867.2
925.8
935.4
948.9
Suppression
276.8
297.3
472.4
382.7
577.3
790.0
867.3
934.7
Emergency Funds
152.0
590.0
624.6
320.0
1,114.0
897.6
494.1
0.0
Site Rehab.
0.0
20.0
246.6
82.7
26.9
31.1
36.8
26.5
Note: This table differs from the similar table in CRS Report RL32893, Interior and Related Agencies: Appropriations
for FY2006, because of adjustments for the two non-federal land categories of federal wildfire funding.
a. Includes emergency appropriations — $10.0 million in FY2003, $24.9 million in FY2004, and $30.0 million in
FY2005.
b. Proposed to be funded from the National Forest System, instead of from Wildfire Management.
c. Excludes joint fire science research and facilities construction and maintenance funding enacted within the BLM
preparedness account through FY2004.
d. Excludes emergency appropriations for fuel reduction and state assistance — $30.0 million in FY2003, $49.7 million
in FY2004, and $30.0 million in FY2005.
e. Unidentifiable amount funded from other budget line items, such as watershed improvement.
f. Calculated at 26% of wildfire operations (see page IV-36 of the FY2001 BLM budget justification).
g. Unidentified amount included in suppression funding.
Table 2 shows that federal land fire management appropriations rose substantially
in FY2001 and have remained high, with fluctuations generally depending on the severity
of the preceding fire season. Total fuel reduction funding — to reduce the fuel loads on
federal lands — more than tripled in FY2001, and has since risen further for the FS while
remaining relatively stable for the BLM. Total funding for preparedness — equipment,
training, baseline personnel, prevention, detection, etc. — also rose in FY2001, then was
stable for the FS before rising again in FY2004, while declining and then stabilizing for
the BLM. Total site rehabilitation funds under fire management peaked in FY2001 to
restore lands burned during the severe 2000 fire season. However, funds in other budget
line items, such as watershed improvement, are also used to restore burned areas.

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CRS-4
Total funding for fire suppression — fighting fires — rose substantially for the BLM
in FY2000 and for the FS in FY2001, dropped for both agencies in FY2002, and has risen
substantially since. Emergency fire funding, as contingency appropriations or emergency
supplemental appropriations, has fluctuated widely for both agencies since FY1999, but
with an overall increase. For FY2006, the Bush Administration has again proposed no
contingency funding, but has requested more fire suppression funding in an attempt to
make emergency funding unnecessary. Whether this funding will be sufficient depends
on the severity of the 2005 fire season.
Some Members of Congress and interest groups have expressed concern about
whether the initial appropriations for firefighting are adequate, as the emergency funding
exceeded $1 billion in FY2003 and nearly reached $1 billion in FY2004. The concern
includes the effects of borrowing to pay for firefighting on the other activities from which
funds were borrowed. In FY2003, the FS borrowed from many accounts, including a
large portion from several, such as 75% of land acquisition funds, 66% of funding for
forest health activities on federal lands, and 45% of restoration and rehabilitation funds.1
More than 90% of the borrowings were repaid to most accounts, but only 41% of the $125
million borrowed from National Forest System accounts (including restoration and
rehabilitation funds) was repaid. In addition, the FS borrowed funds from several of its
trust funds and special accounts — more than the expected program level for FY2003 for
several accounts (which can occur because some accounts have balances that fund several
years of activity). More than 99% of these borrowings were repaid, except for funds
borrowed from the Forest Land Enhancement Program (FLEP, to assist private
landowners conduct forestry activities to enhance their lands); the FS borrowed $50
million from FLEP, and less than $10 million was repaid. Proponents of the various FS
(and BLM) programs are concerned that the borrowings significantly delay planned
activities and that less than full repayment alters the budget priorities originally
established by the appropriations committees. Others, however, argue that borrowing is
necessary because of the emergency nature and high priority of firefighting and the
appropriations committees determine which accounts are repaid.
Assistance for Nonfederal Lands
The federal government, primarily through the FS, has a second group of programs
to provide assistance to states, local governments, and communities to protect nonfederal
(both government and private) lands.2 Except for lands protected under cooperative
agreement, states are responsible for fire protection of nonfederal lands.
Most FS fire protection assistance programs are funded under the agency’s State and
Private Forestry (S&PF) branch. State fire assistance provides financial and technical
help for fire prevention, fire control, and prescribed fire use by state foresters, and through
them, to other agencies and organizations. In cooperation with the Administrator of
General Services (GSA), the FS is encouraged to transfer “excess personal property”
(equipment) from federal agencies to state and local firefighting forces. The FS also
1 USDA Forest Service FY2005 Budget Justification, pp. 15-33 — 15-35. Comparable data for
the BLM and for the FS for FY2006 were not included in other budget justifications.
2 For more details on these programs, see CRS Report RL31065, Forestry Assistance Programs,
by Ross W. Gorte.

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CRS-5
provides assistance directly to volunteer fire departments. Since FY2001, some fire
assistance funding has come through wildfire appropriations (rather than S&PF). Finally,
the 2002 Farm Bill (P.L. 107-171) created a new community fire protection program to
authorize the FS to act on nonfederal lands (with the consent of landowners) to assist in
protecting structures and communities from wildfires.
Wildfire funds have also been provided for economic assistance. For three years
(FY2001-FY2003), FS wildfire funds were added to the S&PF Economic Action Program
(EAP) for training and for loans to existing or new ventures to help local economies. In
addition, in FY2001, the FS received fire funds to directly aid communities recovering
from the severe fires in 2000. The BLM has received continued funding to assist rural
areas affected by wildfires since FY2001.
Funding for these assistance programs is shown in Table 3. Funds in the wildfire
account are shown first, with funds for the FS S&PF cooperative fire programs below.
Total funds for assistance in protecting nonfederal lands increased substantially in
FY2001, from $27.2 million (all FS S&PF funds) to $148.5 million. Funding dropped
about 20% in FY2002 (to $117.5 million) and has fluctuated since. Wildfire funds for
these programs were enacted for the first time in FY2001, and have been maintained for
FS state and volunteer assistance programs and BLM rural assistance. However, FS
community assistance to aid communities affected by fires in the summer of 2000 was a
one-time appropriation, and FS EAP funds were enacted for only three years.
Table 3. Federal Funding to Assist in Protecting Nonfederal Lands, FY1999-
FY2006
($ in millions)
FY2005
FY2006
FY1999
FY2000
FY2001
FY2002
FY2003 FY2004
Enacted
Request
FS, Wildfire Mgt.
0.0
0.0
108.5
77.1
79.4
59.2
48.1
37.3
State Fire Assistance
0.0
0.0
52.9
56.4
a 66.3
51.1
40.2
29.4
Volunteer Fire Asst.
0.0
0.0
8.3
8.3
8.2
8.1
7.9
7.9
Economic Action
0.0
0.0
12.5
12.5
5.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Community Assistance
0.0
0.0
34.9
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
BLM
0.0
0.0
10.0
10.0
9.9
9.9
9.9
0.0
Rural Assistance
0.0
0.0
10.0
10.0
9.9
9.9
9.9
0.0
Total Wildfire Funds
0.0
0.0
118.5
87.1
89.3
69.1
58.9
37.3
Forest Service, S&PF
22.9
27.2
29.9
30.4
30.5
63.3
38.8
26.8
State Fire Assistance
20.9
23.9
24.9
25.3
25.5
a 58.2
32.9
20.9
Volunteer Fire Asst.
2.0
3.2
5.0
5.1
5.0
5.0
5.9
5.9
Total Assistance
22.9
27.2
148.5
117.5
119.8
132.4
97.8
64.1
a. Includes emergency appropriations — $20.0 million in FY2003 and $24.9 million in FY2004.

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CRS-6
Other Fire Funding
A third category of wildfire appropriations includes money for fire research, fire
facility construction and maintenance, and forest health management. Wildfire funds for
fire research have been enacted for both the BLM and the FS for the Joint Fire Science
program. BLM’s appropriations, in the wildfire preparedness budget line item, were $4
million annually for FY1999 and FY2000, and about $8 million annually since. FS funds
for Joint Fire Science have been about $8 million annually since FY2002 (and previously
included an unidentified portion of FS research funds), but are proposed to be terminated
in FY2006. The FS also has been appropriated wildfire funds for fire research and
development beginning in FY2001. These funds supplement monies in the FS research
account; however, because the portion of funds in the FS research account used for fire
research cannot be determined, total FS fire research funding is unknown.
Both the BLM and the FS have received funds to improve deteriorating fire facilities.
The BLM has long used a portion of its fire preparedness funds for “deferred maintenance
and capital improvements” (i.e, for fire facilities), but the level has fluctuated. FS wildfire
funds for fire facilities declined after the initial $43.9 million in FY2001 and ended in
FY2004. The FS also builds and maintains fire facilities with its capital construction and
maintenance account, but the portion used for fire facilities is unknown.
Finally, the FS has received wildfire funds for forest health management. This S&PF
program focuses on assessing and controlling insect and disease infestations on federal
and cooperative (i.e., nonfederal) lands, but includes efforts to control invasive species.
In FY2001 and FY2002, the FS received nearly $12 million annually in wildfire funds for
forest health management, and funds have increased since.
Table 4. Other Fire Management Appropriations, FY1999-FY2006
($ in millions)
FY2005
FY2006
FY1999
FY2000
FY2001
FY2002
FY2003
FY2004
Enacted
Request
Forest Service, Fire
0.0
0.0
71.8
67.6
47.9
54.6
54.3
28.5
Joint Fire Science
0.0
0.0
0.0
8.0
7.9
7.9
7.9
0.0
Fire research
0.0
0.0
16.0
27.3
21.3
22.0
21.7
16.9
Fire facilities 0.0
0.0
43.9
20.4
1.8
0.0
0.0
0.0
Forest health
0.0
0.0
12.0
12.0
16.8
24.7
24.7
11.6
BLM
9.0
13.3
38.0
27.8
20.2
20.1
20.1
13.8
Joint Fire Science
4.0
4.0
8.0
8.0
7.9
7.9
7.9
6.0
Fire facilities 5.0
9.3
30.0
19.8
12.3
12.2
12.2
7.8
Total 9.0
13.3
109.8
95.4
68.1
74.7
74.4
42.3

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