Updated August 6, 2021
Federal Assistance for Wildfire Response and Recovery
Wildfires are unplanned and unwanted fires. Wildfires can
state, and private forces (as well as the military, when
have some beneficial impacts on an ecosystem, but they
called upon) and resources at a national level. Geographic
often threaten homes and communities, forcing the
Area Coordination Centers coordinate and allocate
evacuation of thousands of people. Wildfires are sometimes
resources at 10 regional levels. The cost of these resources
caused by lightning strikes and may occur when a
is then reimbursed as specified in the cooperative fire
prescribed burn escapes control or through other human
protection master agreement, which often lists several
activities (deliberate or accidental). Annually from 2011 to
different methods to apportion costs, each with different
2020, there were an average of 62,805 wildfires and an
financial impacts.
average of 7.5 million acres impacted. In 2020, 58,950
wildfires burned 10.1 million acres, the second-most
A state also may request assistance from the Federal
acreage impacted in a year since 1960; nearly 40% of these
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) of the
acres were in California. In 2020, wildfires destroyed nearly
Department of Homeland Security for wildfires that began
18,000 structures nationwide, 54% (9,630) of which were
on state or private lands. If a wildfire were burning out of
residences.
control and threatened to become a major disaster, a
governor could request an emergency declaration.
Congress and other stakeholders have considered options
However, the most frequent assistance provided at this
for federal support and assistance to address wildfire
stage from FEMA is through Fire Management Assistance
suppression during a fire, post-wildfire recovery, and land
Grants (FMAGs), as authorized by the Robert T. Stafford
management activities to reduce the risk of future
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford
catastrophic wildfires.
Act; 42 U.S.C. §§5271 et seq.). Once issued, an FMAG
declaration authorizes various forms of federal assistance
During a Fire
(e.g., equipment; personnel; and grants to state, local, and
The federal government is responsible for responding to
tribal governments) for the control, management, and
wildfires that begin on federal lands. The Department of the
mitigation of any fire on certain public or private forestland
Interior (DOI) manages wildfire response for more than 400
or grassland that might become a major disaster. The grants
million acres of national parks, wildlife refuges and
may reimburse up to 75% of allowable suppression costs
preserves, other public lands, and Indian reservations. The
for eligible fires. FMAG declarations, unlike some major
Forest Service (FS), within the U.S. Department of
disaster declarations, do not authorize assistance to
Agriculture (USDA), manages wildfire response across the
individuals and households. A state or tribe may request
193 million acres of the National Forest System.
that the President declare a wildfire a major disaster under
the Stafford Act, authorizing other assistance and recovery
Federal responsibility for wildfire suppression is intended
programs, including assistance to individuals and
to protect lives, property, and resources on federal lands.
households.
Federal wildfire policy is to evaluate the risks to firefighter
and public safety and welfare—and to natural, ecological,
The federal government also supports state and local efforts
and cultural values to be protected—to determine the
to evacuate areas threatened by wildfires. A presidential
appropriate response to wildfire. Depending on the risk
declaration triggers federal aid to protect property and
assessment, the federal response may range from active
public health and safety while attempting to preserve state
suppression to monitoring, as supported by the area’s land
autonomy and responsibility. The National Planning
and resource management plans.
Frameworks, required to be created in the wake of
Hurricane Katrina, guide FEMA on how to assist state and
States are responsible for suppressing wildfires on
local agencies with emergencies and disasters, including
nonfederal (state, local, and private) lands, although the
wildfires. Information on active wildfires may be found at
response may be managed jointly for comingled land
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov.
ownership, including federal lands. The federal government
supports the states in several ways. Many states have
COVID-19 Pandemic Considerations
partnerships with federal agencies to provide wildfire
The COVID-19 pandemic presents several interrelated
suppression services through cooperative fire protection
challenges for wildland fire management. Wildland fire
agreements. These agreements authorize federal and state
response typically involves activities and conditions that
partners to share resources—such as aviation equipment
can facilitate the transmission of infectious diseases such as
and personnel—during a wildfire season, allowing for a
COVID-19. For example, wildland firefighters and other
coordinated interagency response that deploys resources to
support personnel work and live in close proximity to one
areas of greatest critical need. The National Multi-Agency
another during an active fire, and fire crews often travel to
Coordination Group, located at the National Interagency
and from different states over the course of a fire season. In
Fire Center in Boise, ID, coordinates and allocates federal,
addition, exposure to wildfire smoke may increase the
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Federal Assistance for Wildfire Response and Recovery
occurrence or seriousness of respiratory infections. More
mudslides are covered by National Flood Insurance
information on wildland firefighters and COVID-19 risk is
Program policies.
available at http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/
community/wildland-firefighters-faq.html. The Wildland
Prevention and Mitigation
Fire COVID-19 Medical and Public Health Advisory Team
Numerous federal programs provide grants to states and
has issued recommendations, based on guidance from the
local governments to prepare for wildfire emergencies. FS
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for the
provides financial and technical assistance for state and
prevention and management of COVID-19 during a
volunteer fire protection efforts. Through partnerships with
wildland fire (see
state forestry agencies, these programs provide funds for
http://www.nwcg.gov/partners/fmb/covid-19.)
community wildfire protection planning and preparation,
hazard mitigation, equipment, and personnel training.
In the Aftermath
FMAG and major disaster declarations authorize statewide
Federal actions in the aftermath of a wildfire disaster can
hazard mitigation through FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation
take two principal forms : assistance for economic recovery
Grant Program. FEMA also provides grants and training for
and assistance for ecological recovery. Economic recovery
firefighting and for community responses to natural
includes resources to repair damage to infrastructure and
disasters, including wildfires. Projects to reduce the risk of
private property. A presidential declaration of a major
future wildfires may also be eligible under FEMA’s
disaster initiates a process for federal assistance to help
Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities Program
state and local governments and communities recover from
(formerly the Pre-Disaster Grant Mitigation Program).
the disaster. The type and extent of the assistance depends
on a number of factors, such as the nature and severity of
Other wildfire issues include how to prevent a recurrence of
the wildfire damages and the insurance coverage of the
catastrophic fires or minimize damage after they occur.
affected parties.
Conditions such as drought, lightning, and high winds make
preventing wildfires impossible, but reducing fuel levels
Ecological recovery includes resources for site
(e.g., deadwood) can reduce their potential damage and, in
rehabilitation and restoration. On federal lands, site
some cases, can decrease the likelihood they will become
rehabilitation routinely occurs under an emergency wildfire
catastrophic. Severe wildfires cannot be prevented or
program through the FS or DOI’s Burned Area Emergency
mitigated in certain ecosystems, however, such as the
Response protocols, as well as through regular land
chaparral of Southern California and lodgepole pine in the
management activities. Activities include sowing areas with
northern and central Rockies , which are adapted to high-
quick-growing grasses as well as planting trees and
severity, stand-replacing fires. In many cases, these fires are
conducting other activities to reduce erosion, reduce
crucial to ecosystem functions; for example, lodgepole
impacts to water resources, or mitigate the risk of a
pines require high temperatures from fires to release their
landslide. They may also include removing dead or
seeds. Human interventions, such as fuel reduction, may not
damaged trees threatening resources or public safety.
mitigate the risk or potential ecological impact of these
fires. Nonetheless, it is often possible to protect structures
On state and private lands, site rehabilitation is the
and other resources in such settings. Federal research,
responsibility of the landowner, but USDA has several
grants, and outreach programs are available to educate
programs that can provide assistance. For example, the
communities and homeowners on strategies for protecting
Emergency Watershed Protection Program (administered
residences and other structures. Some keys are the design of
jointly by the FS and Natural Resources Conservation
the structure itself (especially nonflammable roofing) and
Service), the Emergency Forest Restoration Program, and
the landscaping within close proximity of the structure.
the Emergency Conservation Program (both administered
Local zoning is typically used to inform and enforce
by the Farm Service Agency) can provide technical and
appropriate wildfire protection standards.
financial assistance for stabilization, recovery, and
restoration activities. USDA also has several agricultural
CRS Products
assistance programs to help farmers and ranchers recover
CRS Report R40884, Wildfires: CRS Experts.
from production losses following natural disasters,
CRS Insight IN11716, 2021 Wildfire Season: Brief
including wildfires . Congress also has provided
Overview of FEMA Programs and Resources.
supplemental, ad-hoc disaster assistance funding to respond
to wildfire events. For example, the FY2019 supplemental
CRS Report R43738, Fire Management Assistance Grants:
appropriations act (P.L. 116-20) provided funding for the
Frequently Asked Questions.
Wildfires and Hurricanes Indemnity Program Plus for
CRS Report R42854, Emergency Assistance for
agricultural losses in 2018 and 2019 from wildfires,
Agricultural Land Rehabilitation.
hurricanes, and other natural disasters.
CRS Report RS21212, Agricultural Disaster Assistance.
CRS Report R43784, FEMA’s Disaster Declaration
Some severely burned areas can be at risk of landslides
Process: A Primer.
during subsequent rainstorms, even after site restoration
CRS Report R40811, Wildfire Fuels and Fuel Reduction.
efforts. Little can be done to prevent such landslides, but
monitoring (usually the landowner’s responsibility) can
CRS In Focus IF11539, Wildfires and Hurricanes
provide warning to homeowners to evacuate an area prior to
Indemnity Program (WHIP).
their occurrence. After a landslide, other federal post-
Katie Hoover, Specialist in Natural Resources Policy
disaster assistance might become available. Post-fire
IF10732
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Federal Assistance for Wildfire Response and Recovery
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 | IF10732 · VERSION 6 · UPDATED