S. 306Passed one chamberAI & technology
Bill would build NOAA wildfire forecasting system and fund it through 2030
Data as of July 14, 2026
The Fire Ready Nation Act builds a NOAA wildfire forecasting system and funds it from $15 million in 2026 to $50 million in 2030.55-second read · 5 questions answered below
Decoded
What does this do?
The bill creates a formal NOAA "fire weather services program" to improve wildfire, fire-weather, and smoke prediction through better models, satellite/drone data, and a testbed for new tools. It establishes a permanent Incident Meteorologist Service to deploy forecasters to fire scenes and requires upgraded weather-monitoring equipment. It also temporarily lifts pay caps in 2025 for wildland firefighters and related personnel and requires a longer-term staffing plan by 2026.
Who does it affect?
It mainly affects NOAA, the National Weather Service, and federal land-management agencies like the Forest Service and Department of the Interior, along with their wildfire-response employees. It indirectly affects people in wildfire-prone areas, including rural, remote, and tribal communities.
Why does it matter?
The changes would alter how federal agencies forecast and respond to wildfires, restructure staffing and pay rules for emergency personnel, and require new public reporting and independent oversight reviews of program performance and committee overlap.
What does it cost, and who pays?
- $15 million authorized in 2026
- Grows to $50 million by 2030
- Funds NOAA wildfire forecasting programs
Where does it stand?
- Introduced
- Senate committee
- Senate vote
- House — You are here
- President's desk
Right now: it passed the Senate and now goes to the House. If the House changes it, it goes back to the Senate before reaching the President.
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Official title
Fire Ready Nation Act of 2025
- Introduced:
- January 29, 2025
- Latest action:
- September 11, 2025
Held at the desk.
Read the official bill on Congress.govMake the call
Three steps: where you stand, your script, the call.