Updated May 2, 2022
Federal Assistance for Wildfire Response and Recovery
Wildfires are unplanned fires. Wildfires can have some
Area Coordination Centers coordinate and allocate
beneficial impacts on an ecosystem, but they often threaten
resources at 10 regional levels. The cost of these resources
homes and communities, forcing the evacuation of
is then reimbursed as specified in the cooperative fire
thousands of people. Wildfires are sometimes caused by
protection master agreement, which often lists several
lightning strikes and may occur when a prescribed burn
different methods to apportion costs, each with different
escapes control or through other human activities
financial impacts.
(deliberate or accidental). Annually from 2012 to 2021,
there were an average of 61,289 wildfires, with an average
A state also may request assistance from the Federal
of 7.4 million acres impacted and an average of 8,000
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) of the
structures burned. In 2021, 58,968 wildfires impacted 7.1
Department of Homeland Security for wildfires that began
million acres and burned nearly 6,000 structures
on state or private lands. If a wildfire were burning out of
nationwide, 60% (3,577) of which were 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, among other issues.
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
state, and private forces (as well as the military, when
occurrence or seriousness of respiratory infections. More
called upon) and resources at a national level. Geographic
information on wildland firefighters and COVID-19 risk is
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Federal Assistance for Wildfire Response and Recovery
available at http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/
Prevention and Mitigation
community/wildland-firefighters-faq.html. The Wildland
Numerous federal programs provide grants to states and
Fire COVID-19 Medical and Public Health Advisory Team
local governments to prepare for wildfire emergencies. FS
has issued recommendations, based on guidance from the
provides financial and technical assistance for state and
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for the
volunteer fire protection efforts. Through partnerships with
prevention and management of COVID-19 during a
state forestry agencies, these programs provide funds for
wildland fire (see http://www.nwcg.gov/partners/fmb/
community wildfire protection planning and preparation,
covid-19.)
hazard mitigation, equipment, and personnel training.
FMAG and major disaster declarations authorize statewide
In the Aftermath
hazard mitigation through FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation
Federal actions in the aftermath of a wildfire disaster can
Grant Program. FEMA also provides grants and training for
take two principal forms: assistance for economic recovery
firefighting and for community responses to natural
and assistance for ecological recovery. Economic recovery
disasters, including wildfires. Projects to reduce the risk of
includes resources to repair damage to infrastructure and
future wildfires may also be eligible under FEMA’s
private property. A presidential declaration of a major
Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities Program
disaster initiates a process for federal assistance to help
(formerly the Pre-Disaster Grant Mitigation Program).
state and local governments and communities recover from
the disaster. The type and extent of the assistance depends
Other wildfire issues include how to prevent a recurrence of
on a number of factors, such as the nature and severity of
catastrophic fires or minimize damage after they occur.
the wildfire damages and the insurance coverage of the
Conditions such as drought, lightning, and high winds make
affected parties.
preventing wildfires impossible, but reducing fuel levels
(e.g., deadwood) can reduce their potential damage and, in
Ecological recovery includes resources for site
some cases, can decrease the likelihood they will become
rehabilitation and restoration. On federal lands, site
catastrophic. Severe wildfires cannot be prevented or
rehabilitation routinely occurs under an emergency wildfire
mitigated in certain ecosystems, however, such as the
program through the FS or DOI’s Burned Area Emergency
chaparral of Southern California and lodgepole pine in the
Response protocols, as well as through regular land
northern and central Rockies, which are adapted to high-
management activities. Activities include sowing areas with
severity, stand-replacing fires. In many cases, these fires are
quick-growing grasses as well as planting trees and
crucial to ecosystem functions; for example, lodgepole
conducting other activities to reduce erosion, reduce
pines require high temperatures from fires to release their
impacts to water resources, or mitigate the risk of a
seeds. Human interventions, such as fuel reduction, may not
landslide. They may also include removing dead or
mitigate the risk or potential ecological impact of these
damaged trees threatening resources or public safety.
fires. Nonetheless, it is often possible to protect structures
and other resources in such settings. Federal research,
On state and private lands, site rehabilitation is the
grants, and outreach programs are available to educate
responsibility of the landowner, but USDA has several
communities and homeowners on strategies for protecting
programs that can provide assistance. For example, the
residences and other structures. Some keys are the design of
Emergency Watershed Protection Program (administered
the structure itself (especially nonflammable roofing) and
jointly by the FS and Natural Resources Conservation
the landscaping within close proximity of the structure.
Service), the Emergency Forest Restoration Program, and
Local zoning is typically used to inform and enforce
the Emergency Conservation Program (both administered
appropriate wildfire protection standards.
by the Farm Service Agency) can provide technical and
financial assistance for stabilization, recovery, and
CRS Products
restoration activities. USDA also has several agricultural
CRS Report R40884, Wildfires: CRS Experts
assistance programs to help farmers and ranchers recover
CRS Insight IN11716, 2021 Wildfire Season: Brief
from production losses following natural disasters,
Overview of FEMA Programs and Resources
including wildfires. Congress also has provided
supplemental, ad-hoc disaster assistance funding to respond
CRS Report R43738, Fire Management Assistance Grants:
to wildfire events. For example, the FY2019 supplemental
Frequently Asked Questions
appropriations act (P.L. 116-20) provided funding for the
CRS Report R42854, Emergency Assistance for
Wildfires and Hurricanes Indemnity Program Plus for
Agricultural Land Rehabilitation
agricultural losses in 2018 and 2019 from wildfires,
CRS Report RS21212, Agricultural Disaster Assistance
hurricanes, and other natural disasters.
CRS Report R43784, FEMA’s Disaster Declaration
Process: A Primer
Some severely burned areas can be at risk of landslides
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
CRS In Focus IF11539, Wildfires and Hurricanes
monitoring (usually the landowner’s responsibility) can
Indemnity Program (WHIP)
provide warning to homeowners to evacuate an area prior to
their occurrence. After a landslide, other federal post-
Katie Hoover, Specialist in Natural Resources Policy
disaster assistance might become available. Post-fire
IF10732
mudslides are covered by National Flood Insurance
Program policies.
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Federal Assistance for Wildfire Response and Recovery
Disclaimer
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