In its report, the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission outlined a thorough, consensus-based list of suggestions to Congress for resolving the country's wildfire situation. The Biden-Harris Administration is using every tool available to reduce the risk of catastrophic fire, according to Tom Vilsack, the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. The Commission, established by President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and announced in December 2021, was tasked with advising Congress on ways to strengthen federal policies relating to the prevention, suppression, and management of wildland fires in the United States as well as the restoration of land that has been severely damaged by wildland fires. The Commission, which is made up of officials from federal agencies, state, local, and tribal governments, as well as from the business sector, has been meeting on a monthly basis over the past year to discuss and develop these recommendations.
The panel is co-chaired by the Departments of Agriculture, the Interior, and Federal Emergency Management Agency. The 50 members of the commission are experts in a variety of fields related to wildfire, including suppression, cultural burning, watershed restoration, pre-fire mitigation, research, public health, and post-fire recovery. The Commission's comprehensive and all-encompassing recommendations offer ways to make our response to wildland fires proactive rather than reactive, to build long-term, sustainable solutions, and to build more resilient communities and landscapes that can better withstand wildfires as a natural part of our world. The proposed solutions also strongly favor enhancing cross-scale and cross-jurisdictional cooperation and coordination, as well as a larger inclusion of all parties involved in the wildfire system. These suggestions are meant to work as a whole to guide the country toward a new understanding of and relationship with wildfire.
Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas stated that "the frequency and intensity of wildfires are on the rise and pose a threat to our homeland security." He emphasized the importance of a whole-of-government strategy to preventing wildfires and the need for strategic workforce investments. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is committed to providing local fire departments with the manpower, equipment, training, and resources they need to tackle these challenges. This year, the DHS plans to invest over $684 million to support these efforts.
The recommendations put forth by the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission aim to address the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires and to ensure the safety and resilience of communities across the country. With the Biden-Harris Administration's commitment to reducing the risk of catastrophic fire and the support of federal agencies, state, local, and tribal governments, and the business sector, it is hoped that these recommendations will guide the nation towards a more proactive and sustainable approach to wildfire prevention and management.
