119-HR-3924 Journalist Public Summary
119 · HR 3924 Wildfire Risk Evaluation Act
H.R. 3924 would require USDA, Interior, and Homeland Security to produce a nationwide wildfire risk review every four years to guide long‑term planning and track progress against existing strategies and recommendations; it is moving through House committee consideration as of May 15, 2026. (congress.gov)
Headline Summary
A bipartisan‑administered plan to require a nationwide, every‑four‑years wildfire risk review by USDA, Interior, and Homeland Security to steer prevention, response, and public‑health planning. (congress.gov)
What It Does
The Wildfire Risk Evaluation Act orders the Secretaries of Agriculture, the Interior, and Homeland Security to jointly conduct a “quadrennial fire review” of the U.S. wildfire environment. The review must quantify how changes to the built and natural environments affect mitigation, incident response, recovery, and public health; coordinate with EPA and HHS/CDC on smoke and health impacts; summarize 20‑year challenges; and recommend legislative or administrative actions. It also tracks progress toward the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy goals and implementation of the 2023 “On Fire” Commission recommendations. (congress.gov)
Who’s For It
- Sponsor: Rep. Joe Neguse (D‑CO). Cosponsors: Reps. Josh Harder (D‑CA) and George Whitesides (D‑CA). (congress.gov)
- Department of the Interior: “supports the goals” of H.R. 3924 and welcomes collaboration on implementation. (docs.house.gov)
- U.S. Forest Service (USDA): “supports the intent” and says a recurring, interagency review would help assess preparedness and future challenges. (docs.house.gov)
- Local responders: the Grand Fire Protection District (CO) submitted testimony in support, citing the need for system‑wide coordination. (docs.house.gov)
- The bill aligns with existing federal frameworks, including the National Cohesive Strategy and the 2023 “On Fire” Commission recommendations, which call for coordinated, forward‑looking wildfire risk planning. (forestsandrangelands.gov)
Who’s Against It
- No formal, organized opposition was evident in the House Natural Resources Subcommittee docket for the December 11, 2025 hearing, and agency testimony was generally supportive. (congress.gov)
- Potential concerns flagged in broader wildfire policy debates: (a) avoid duplicating reviews the agencies already perform, and (b) prioritize funding and execution over new studies. Interior’s statement notes existing assessments; emergency‑management commentary often criticizes creating more studies without implementation. (docs.house.gov)
What’s Next
As of May 15, 2026, the House Natural Resources Committee held a full‑committee markup on May 14 that listed H.R. 3924 on the agenda; after committee action and a written report, the next step would be potential House floor consideration. Note that Congress.gov’s action log for this bill still reflects activity through December 2025, and official pages often update after committee work is completed. (naturalresources.house.gov)
Discussion