119-HR-6618 Journalist Public Summary
119 · HR 6618 Wildfire Aerial Response Safety Act
A bipartisan House bill would have the FAA study how hobby and commercial drones interfere with wildfire aircraft, quantify the impacts over the last five years, and assess prevention options—then report recommendations to Congress within 18 months; it advanced out of committee on January 21, 2026.
Headline Summary
A bipartisan bill directs the FAA to study how unauthorized drones disrupt wildfire aircraft and recommend practical ways to prevent these incidents, with a report due 18 months after enactment.
What It Does
The Wildfire Aerial Response Safety Act (H.R. 6618) tells the FAA, working with Interior and the U.S. Forest Service, to examine drone incursions into wildfire no-fly zones and how they affect firefighting. It looks back over the last five calendar years to count incidents and estimate their impact on suppression time, aerial response delays, and federal costs. It also asks the FAA to evaluate prevention tools—from tech-based counter‑drone measures and physical seizure to public education—and send Congress recommendations.
- Scope: incidents where private or commercial drones fly into wildfire Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) airspace.
- Measures studied: counter‑drone radio towers; using reasonable force to disable or destroy a drone; seizure (including net devices); public education.
- Agencies involved: FAA (lead), Department of the Interior, and Department of Agriculture/Forest Service.
- Deliverable: a written report to specified House and Senate committees within 18 months of enactment.
Who’s For It
- Sponsors and co-sponsors: Reps. Janelle Bynum (D‑OR), Elijah Crane (R‑AZ), Joe Neguse (D‑CO), and Juan Ciscomani (R‑AZ). They frame it as a data‑driven, bipartisan safety step.
- Wildfire‑prone state lawmakers and local officials who want clearer data on how drones delay air tankers and helicopters.
- Public‑safety and land‑management voices who prefer studying options before expanding enforcement powers.
Who’s Against It
- Civil‑liberties and tech‑policy advocates may worry that studying options like disabling or destroying drones could normalize risky or rights‑implicating practices, even if the bill itself doesn’t authorize them.
- Drone hobbyists and parts of the unmanned‑aircraft industry may fear overbroad restrictions, potential equipment loss, or confusion for recreational flyers near fires.
- Some fiscal conservatives may question whether a new federal study is needed versus better enforcing existing TFR rules and public outreach.
What’s Next
Status: On January 21, 2026, the bill was ordered reported (amended) by voice vote after a committee markup. Next likely steps are a House floor vote, followed by Senate consideration. If enacted, the FAA would have 18 months from the enactment date to deliver its report.
Discussion