It is a bit of a head scratcher. Despite having broad bipartisan support, legislation featuring a set of reforms to reduce the risk of catastrophic fire in national forests, improve public safety and wildlife habitat remains in limbo.
More than 66,000 fires burned 9 million acres of forests and grasslands from coast to coast over the first nine months of the year. The U.S. also spent 48 consecutive days at "preparedness level 5" - the highest level where national firefighting resources are heavily committed to multiple geographic regions to deal with dangerous fires.
However, Capitol Hill remainsa venue for inaction. That is why 31 members of the U.S. House of Representativesjust sent a letter to leadership asking for prompt action in support of the Fix Our Forests Act.
"This wildfire crisis is a significant – and growing – hazard to our military readiness and national security, endangering the safety of the American people, as well as the National Guard, Reserve forces, and other servicemen across the country," according to lawmakers."We, as members seeking a comprehensive solution to this threat, write in strong support of including the Fix Our Forests Act (FOFA), in the Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) or any other moving vehicle, to ensure it becomes law by the end of this Congress."
The U.S. House passed its version of the Fix Our Forests Act with a vote of 279-141 in January 2025. Nine months later, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry passed it on a strongly bipartisan 18-5 vote. But it is yet to be taken up by the full Senate, which must pass it by the end of the yearand agree with the House on a collaborative versionor the entire process must start over.
Since January 2025, wildfires killed more than 450 people, destroyed 20,000 homes and caused hundreds of thousands in multiple states to evacuate. The total costs of wildfires alone range from $400 billion to $900 billion annually. Research shows wildfire mitigation can greatly reduce the cost of wildfires.
"The Fix Our Forests Act is the only package that is bipartisan, bicameral, and has undergone a comprehensive committee process in both chambers of Congress. It represents thoughtful legislation that will meaningfully address the wildfire crisis," according to the letter.
Hunt 2 Conserve urges lawmakers to pass this legislation and the president to sign it into law.
About Hunt 2 Conserve
Hunt 2 Conserve is a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Its mission is to advance a legacy of hunting and conservation by educating, activating and developing stewards and defenders of these fundamentally American ideals. For more information, go to hunt2conserve.org.
(Photo source: InciWeb)
