Wildfire Protection in the 108th Congress

RS22024 -- Wildfire Protection in the 108th Congress

January 14, 2005

Summary

Many argue that the threat of severe wildfires has grown in recent years, because of excessive forest fuels and an increasing number of homes in or near forests. In 2003, President Bush proposed a Healthy Forests Initiative, with numerous regulatory changes to expedite fuel reduction activities. The 108th Congress enacted the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 to provide an expedited process for fuel reduction activities and other related programs, and the Southwest Forest Health and Wildfire Prevention Act of 2004 to fund research and promote adaptive management in Ponderosa pine forests. This report summarizes congressional action through 2004, and will not be updated.