On Tuesday, October 21, 2025, the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry took a decisive step in addressing the nation’s escalating wildfire crisis by advancing the Fix Our Forests Act. The bipartisan legislation, championed by Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA), John Curtis (R-UT), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), and Tim Sheehy (R-MT), passed the committee with an 18-5 vote and now awaits consideration by the full Senate. With wildfires growing more destructive and frequent across the American West, the bill’s progress is being hailed as a landmark moment in federal wildfire policy—a moment that many say is long overdue.
The Fix Our Forests Act sets out to overhaul how the United States manages its forests, aiming to combat catastrophic wildfires, restore forest ecosystems, and make federal forest management more responsive and efficient. According to Senator Padilla, "The status quo around wildfires isn’t working and far too many Americans have paid the price." He added, "The families I’ve met who have lost everything to the devastation in Los Angeles and in wildfire disasters across the country deserve action. That’s why we’re coming together to confront this crisis and rethink how we prevent and respond. Today’s advancement of our bipartisan bill is real progress toward protecting Americans and our environment through forward-thinking, practical wildfire solutions."
The bill’s scope is ambitious, reflecting months of bipartisan negotiations to develop a comprehensive, consensus-driven response to the wildfire crisis. It proposes a range of measures to tackle the problem from multiple angles. Among the most notable is the establishment of a Wildfire Intelligence Center, which aims to streamline federal response efforts and foster a whole-of-government approach to combating wildfires. The center would coordinate information and resources among federal agencies, states, Tribes, and private stakeholders, ensuring that the response to wildfires is both swift and unified.
Senator Curtis, who represents Utah—a state deeply affected by wildfires and overgrown forests—underscored the urgency of the situation. "In Utah and across the West, we face a growing crisis of overgrown, unhealthy forests. Thanks to the cooperation of both parties, we are confronting the challenge head on and now one step closer to passing legislation that will deliver essential tools to combat wildfires, restore forest ecosystems, and make federal forest management more efficient and responsive. I commend the Committee’s action and look forward to the bill’s swift passage by the full Senate."
The numbers behind the crisis are sobering. As reported by Senate sources, the total acreage burned nationwide jumped from 2.7 million in 2023 to nearly 9 million in 2024—a staggering 231 percent increase. Prolonged drought, climate change, and the buildup of dry fuels have created a perfect storm, making wildfires more intense, faster-spreading, and harder to control than ever before.
To address these challenges, the Fix Our Forests Act introduces several key initiatives. It establishes new and updated programs to reduce wildfire risks across large, high-priority "firesheds," emphasizing cross-jurisdictional collaboration. The bill also streamlines and expands tools for forest health projects, such as stewardship contracting and Good Neighbor Agreements, while providing faster processes for hazardous fuels treatments—crucial steps for reducing the amount of dry, flammable material in forests.
Communities living in the wildland-urban interface—the areas where homes and businesses border forests—are particularly vulnerable. The legislation creates a single interagency program to help these communities build and retrofit with wildfire-resistant measures, while simplifying and consolidating the often-confusing array of grant applications. This practical approach aims to get resources and support to those who need them most, without bureaucratic delays.
Innovation is also on the agenda. The bill expands research and demonstration initiatives, including biochar projects and the Community Wildfire Defense Research Program, to test and deploy cutting-edge wildfire prevention, detection, and mitigation technologies. Additionally, it seeks to improve reforestation efforts, boost seedling supply and nursery capacity, and establish new programs for white oak restoration—each a vital piece of the puzzle in restoring healthy, resilient forests.
Legal hurdles have long slowed down needed forest treatments. The Fix Our Forests Act clarifies policies to reduce wildfire-related litigation and expedite forest health interventions, ensuring that critical work can proceed without unnecessary delays. By cutting red tape, the bill aims to make forest management more proactive rather than reactive.
The bipartisan nature of the legislation is not lost on its supporters. Senator Hickenlooper remarked, "There is a wildfire crisis across much of the country—our communities need action now. Wildfires won’t wait. After bipartisan committee passage, the next step is a full Senate vote. The Fix Our Forests Act will make our communities and environment more resilient." Senator Sheehy echoed this sentiment, stating, "Better stewardship of our forests is not a partisan issue; it’s an imperative to securing a stronger economy, healthier forests, and safer communities. I’m proud to see the bipartisan Fix Our Forests Act move forward in the legislative process, and I’ll continue fighting alongside my colleagues to enact commonsense reforms that ensure proper forest management, unleash the resource economy, and protect American communities from the threat of wildfire."
The bill has garnered broad support from a diverse coalition, including governors from Utah, California, Colorado, and Montana; environmental groups like The Nature Conservancy and the National Wildlife Federation; fire chiefs and first responder organizations; and industry stakeholders such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the California Farm Bureau. The Western Governors’ Association expressed its strong support in a letter to the committee, writing, "Western Governors are encouraged by the development of bipartisan legislation to improve forest management and mitigate wildfire risk. As the wildfire crisis has worsened in recent years, Western Governors have developed and advocated for a range of policy recommendations to promote healthy western forests that can continue to provide our communities with jobs, recreation, quality of life, and important ecosystem services. S. 1462, the Fix Our Forests Act, advances many of our recommendations, and we are eager to continue to work with the Committee to support critical forest management reforms through the legislative process."
The path to this point has been marked by extensive outreach and engagement. Senators Curtis, Padilla, Hickenlooper, and Sheehy have worked closely with federal and state emergency officials, community leaders, and local stakeholders. Earlier this year, Senator Padilla toured the Pacific Palisades fire recovery area alongside FEMA and other emergency personnel, highlighting the urgent need for legislative action.
As the Fix Our Forests Act heads to the Senate floor, the stakes could hardly be higher. With wildfires threatening lives, property, and ecosystems, lawmakers and advocates alike are hoping that the momentum behind this bipartisan effort will carry it across the finish line—bringing with it a new era of proactive, science-based, and collaborative forest management for the United States.
