Congress mandates wildfire burns—and shields contractors from liability
H.R. 3889 — National Prescribed Fire Act of 2025 · Filed by Kim Schrier (D-WA) · 2 cosponsors · Introduced Jun 10, 2025 · Referred to committee
Your members of Congress
Enter a ZIP to see where your representative and both senators stood on this bill.
Looked up on this device — your ZIP is never stored on our servers.
What it does
This bill directs the Interior and Agriculture Departments to dramatically expand prescribed fire (controlled burns) on federal lands, with a 10% annual acreage increase mandate over 10 years. It creates a $10 million/year Collaborative Prescribed Fire Program, authorizes federal agencies to conduct burns on non-federal land if beneficial to federal resources, extends federal tort liability protections to non-federal contractors and tribes conducting prescribed fires, and establishes workforce development pathways including hiring formerly incarcerated individuals and veterans. The bill also mandates EPA coordination on smoke management and recognizes Indigenous cultural burning practices.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core mechanism is a federal mandate to expand prescribed fire acreage by 10% annually, paired with workforce development (hazard pay, seasonal-to-permanent conversion, formerly incarcerated hiring, veterans crews) and liability protections for non-federal partners. The civic purpose is ecosystem restoration and wildfire resilience; the operative structure is a collaborative grant and contracting program.
What the text implies
- Federal tort liability shield (28 USC § 171) extended to non-federal contractors and tribes conducting prescribed fires may limit citizen recourse if an escaped prescribed fire causes property damage or injury, even if negligence is proven.
- The 10% annual acreage increase mandate is a hard target with no built-in flexibility for drought, staffing shortages, or ecological constraints—failure to meet targets could trigger budget reallocation or program restructuring.
The full analysis lists 5 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
prescribed fire contractors and consulting firms; nonprofit organizations and fire councils receiving grants; state and local governments (cost-share funding, training centers)