As federal wildland firefighters battle blazes across the West at National Preparedness Level 4, bipartisan legislation in Congress aims to correct long-standing gaps in hazard pay for the men and women on the front lines — while broader questions about wildfire funding and forest management continue to shape the political landscape heading into peak fire season.
Wildland Firefighter Hazard Pay Correction Act
Senator John Curtis has cosponsored the Wildland Firefighter Hazard Pay Correction Act, a bipartisan bill that would codify hazard pay for federal wildland firefighters and smoke jumpers engaged in prescribed burns and training jumps. The legislation builds on efforts by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to ensure firefighters are fairly compensated for the full range of risks they face — not just active suppression operations.
Under current rules, hazard pay for prescribed fire and training activities has been inconsistently applied. The bill would ensure these activities are recognized with the same compensation standards as wildfire suppression, addressing what advocates describe as an inequity that undermines recruitment and retention.
“This bill will ensure that risks across the full range of wildfire mitigation and response activities are recognized with fair compensation – supporting the first responders that keep our communities safe,” the senator’s office stated.
Congressional Democrats Call for Broader Action
Representative Joe Neguse and Democratic colleagues have called on Congress to take broader action on wildfire policy as the 2026 fire season intensifies. In a statement, Representative Huffman emphasized the need for “policies that can keep our communities safe, our lands resilient, and our workforce strong,” including bills to combat climate change, reduce fire intensity, ensure firefighters have adequate pay and healthcare, and provide proper equipment.
The calls come amid what fire historians are tracking as one of the more active early fire seasons on record in the Northwest, with fires burning under increasingly dry and hot conditions that scientists have linked in part to long-term climate trends.
Prescribed Burn Funding Delayed
A report from NPR highlighted growing concerns that prescribed burn grant funding — typically awarded by early 2026 to enable spring burning operations when conditions are most manageable — has been significantly delayed. The delay has left land managers unable to conduct planned burns during the optimal spring window, potentially contributing to heavier fuel loads now feeding summer wildfires.
Spring and early summer are considered prime windows for prescribed burning because cooler temperatures and higher humidity allow tighter control over fire behavior. Missing that window means waiting until fall — and carrying the risk of uncharacteristically heavy fuels through the summer.
FY2026 Emergency Wildfire Funding
Congress did provide emergency wildfire-related spending in FY2026, including $2.65 billion for the Interior-Environment portfolio as part of emergency spending adjustments. However, watchdog groups note that the long-term structural approach to wildfire funding — moving away from borrowing from other programs to fight fires — continues to require vigilance.
A feasibility study directed by Congress on one key program area has yet to see its contract awarded, with results not expected until late 2026 at the earliest, according to Aerial Fire Magazine.
The Bottom Line
With more than 14,400 firefighters in the field, 42 large fires burning nationwide, and the season still in its early phase, the debate over wildfire funding, firefighter compensation, and land management priorities has taken on new urgency. Advocates on all sides agree that the status quo — underpaid firefighters, delayed prescribed burns, and reactive suppression spending — is not sustainable for the communities and landscapes of the Pacific Northwest.