link to page 1 link to page 2 
October 29, 2020
Wildfire Management Funding: FY2021 Appropriations
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service (FS)
Figure 1. Forest Service (FS) and Department of the
and the Department of the Interior (DOI) are responsible for
Interior (DOI) Wildfire Appropriations, FY94-FY20
wildfire response and management across the federal lands
within their respective jurisdictions. Both FS and DOI
generally receive annual discretionary appropriations for
wildfire management activities through the Interior,
Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bills.
Wildfire management funding for DOI is provided to the
department-level Office of Wildland Fire.
Wildfire management appropriations fluctuate annually but
began to increase in the late 1990s and rose markedly after
FY2000 (see Figure 1). A significant portion of the annual
fluctuations and overall increase in funding is related to fire
suppression costs, which vary considerably and may be
high even during years of relatively mild wildfire activity.
For more information, see CRS Report R46583, Federal
Source: CRS.
Wildfire Management: Ten-Year Funding Trends and
Notes: Figures are inflated to estimated FY2020 constant dol ars
Issues (FY2011-FY2020).
using the GDP Chained Price Index from the White House Office of
Management and Budget.
For FY2020, Congress appropriated a total of $6.105 billion
in discretionary appropriations for wildfire purposes for FS
Wildfire Accounts and Activities
and DOI (see Table 1). This amount included $3.848
Funding for wildfire management generally falls into the
billion in regular funding (P.L. 116-94); $7.0 million in
following categories: preparedness, suppression, fuel
emergency supplemental funding to address issues related
reduction, and other wildfire activities (e.g., site
to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic
rehabilitation, assistance programs, research, facilities
(P.L. 116-136); and $2.250 billion pursuant to the wildfire
maintenance). FS and DOI receive appropriations through
adjustment (P.L. 116-94), discussed below.
similarly structured WFM accounts in both agencies. The
bulk of the WFM appropriation for both agencies funds
FY2021 Discretionary Appropriations
preparedness and baseline suppression activities. For DOI,
WFM also funds fuel reduction activities, site
Budget Request
rehabilitation, research, and facilities maintenance. FS,
The Trump Administration requested a total of $6.371
however, also receives appropriations for fuel reduction and
billion in FY2021 discretionary appropriations for wildfire
other wildfire purposes through other agency appropriations
purposes for FS and DOI, a $265.4 million increase (4%)
accounts.
from the FY2020 enacted appropriations. The request
included a total of $3.413 billion in the agencies’ Wildland
Starting in FY2020, FS and DOI receive additional funding
Fire Management (WFM) accounts, $608.1 million to other
for suppression through the wildfire adjustment (2 U.S.C.
FS accounts for wildfire purposes, and $2.350 billion
§901(b)(2)(F), also known as the wildfire funding fix), a
pursuant to the wildfire adjustment.
budgetary mechanism that allows for an upward adjustment
of the discretionary spending limits to accommodate a
FY2021 Discretionary Appropriations
specific amount of additional funding for suppression.
On July 24, 2020, the House passed H.R. 7608, which
These additional funds are effectively exempt from the
would provide a combined total of $6.339 billion for FS
spending limits. A precondition for using the adjustment is
and DOI wildfire purposes in Division C. This total would
that Congress must appropriate a baseline amount of
include $3.377 billion to the agencies’ respective WFM
funding within the limits. The baseline is equal to the 10-
accounts, $612.0 million to other FS accounts for wildfire
year suppression obligation average as reported in FY2015
purposes, and $2.350 billion pursuant to the wildfire
($1.395 billion combined). In FY2020, Congress
adjustment. This would be a $233.8 million increase (4%)
appropriated the baseline suppression funds to the
from FY2020 and a $31.6 million decrease (-0.5%) from
respective WFM accounts and appropriated the funds
the amount requested by the Administration. The Senate
provided through the wildfire adjustment to a separate
has not taken up H.R. 7608; instead, the agencies have
account. The wildfire adjustment is available annually
received continuing appropriations for FY2021, set at the
through FY2027, although the discretionary spending limits
FY2020 level, through December 11, 2020 (P.L. 116-159).
are currently in effect only through FY2021. The maximum
amount available under the adjustment increases annually.
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Wildfire Management Funding: FY2021 Appropriations
Table 1. FS and DOI Discretionary Wildfire Appropriations
($ in millions)
FY2021
Account
FY2020
Requested House-Passed H.R. 7608
FS, Total
$4,852.9
$5,057.6
$5,037.6
Wildland Fire Management (WFM), Total
2,357.6
2,409.4
2,385.6
WFM Preparedness
1,339.6
1,398.4
1,374.6
WFM Suppression
1,011.0
1,011.0
1,011.0
WFM Supplemental
7.0
—
—
Wildfire Adjustment
1,950.0
2,040.0
2,040.0
NFS Hazardous Fuels
445.3
510.0
510.0
SPF Cooperative Fire Assistance
100.0
98.1
102.0
DOI, Total
$1,252.3
$1,313.1
$1,301.5
WFM, Total
952.4
1,003.2
991.5
WFM Preparedness
332.8
368.1
338.0
WFM Suppression
383.7
383.7
383.7
WFM Fuels Management
194.0
227.9
227.9
WFM Other
41.9
23.5
41.9
Wildfire Adjustment
300.0
310.0
310.0
Total, FS and DOI
$6,105.3
$6,370.7
$6,339.1
Sources: P.L. 116-94, Division D; P.L. 116-136, Title VII; FY2021 budget justifications for FS and DOI; and H.R. 7608.
Notes: NFS = National Forest System; SPF = State and Private Forestry. Column totals may not add due to rounding.
Preparedness
potential wildfire risk. Federal fuel reduction funding may
Preparedness includes the range of tasks necessary to
be used for projects (or treatments) on federal lands, to
ensure readiness for wildfire response. FS and DOI use
provide financial or technical assistance for projects on
preparedness funds to maintain baseline personnel and
nonfederal lands, or to develop innovative uses of wood
provide training and education; manage infrastructure,
products in an effort to accelerate and incentivize fuel
equipment, and resources (e.g., aviation assets, engines,
removal from federal lands.
communication equipment); develop, maintain, and
advance technological tools to enhance decisionmaking
Fuel reduction activities are funded within DOI’s Fuels
capacity; and prepare and execute fire management plans,
Management activity (WFM account) and within FS’s
cooperative agreements, and interagency coordination.
Hazardous Fuels activity (National Forest System account).
Preparedness activities are funded within FS’s and DOI’s
However, FS and DOI receive funding through other
respective WFM accounts.
accounts and programs that may be used for activities that
also have a fuel reduction component; thus, funding
Suppression
provided to each agency’s respective Fuels program is not a
Suppression is the work associated with extinguishing or
comprehensive reflection of the funding available for these
confining a fire, and suppression appropriations are used
activities.
primarily for wildfire response. This includes funding
firefighter salaries, aviation asset operations, other support
Other Wildfire Activities
functions in direct support of wildfire incidents, and
FS and DOI both receive appropriations for several other
funding for postfire emergency stabilization activities.
wildfire-related activities. For DOI, funding is provided
Suppression activities are funded through two sources.
within the WFM account for postfire rehabilitation, wildfire
Baseline suppression funding is provided to FS’s and DOI’s
science and research, and facilities maintenance. For FS,
respective WFM accounts, and funds provided pursuant to
appropriations are provided for wildfire assistance
the wildfire adjustment are appropriated to separate
programs through its State and Private Forestry account.
accounts for FS and DOI (and then transferred to the WFM
Wildfire assistance programs support state wildfire
account as needed). In addition, Congress has at times
management programs and volunteer fire departments in
provided supplemental appropriations specifically for
rural communities. FS funding for wildfire science and
suppression purposes.
funding for long-term postfire rehabilitation activities may
be derived from several different FS accounts and
Fuel Reduction
programs.
The size, distribution, and total quantity of wildland fuels
Katie Hoover, Specialist in Natural Resources Policy
(e.g., vegetation) significantly affect wildfire behavior. Fuel
reduction is the manipulation or removal of fuels to reduce
IF11675
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Wildfire Management Funding: FY2021 Appropriations
Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff to
congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of Congress.
Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of information that has
been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the
United States Government, are not subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be
reproduced and distributed in its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include
copyrighted images or material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permissio n of the copyright holder if you
wish to copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.
https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF11675 · VERSION 1 · NEW