S. 5045, the Wildfire Emissions Prevention Act of 2026, passed the Senate on September 29, 2026.
S. 5045 — Wildfire Emissions Prevention Act of 2026
What it does
This bill amends the Clean Air Act to clarify that prescribed fires (deliberately set, controlled burns) qualify as 'exceptional events' that can be excluded from air quality monitoring data, reducing regulatory burden on states managing prescribed burns. It also establishes a competitive grant program for communities to assess and reduce wildfire smoke hazards in schools and public buildings, with federal funding up to 90 percent of costs.
Quorum's transparency scan gave Wildfire Emissions Prevention Act of 2026 a moderate transparency flag.
What happens next
S. 5045 passed the Senate. It now moves to the other chamber.
Who is behind it
Filed by John Curtis. Cosponsored by Alex Padilla, Jeff Merkley, John Boozman and Mark Kelly.
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