May 20, 2026
Ms. Hirono submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
Designating May 2026 as National Wildfire Preparedness Month
.
Whereas wildfires across the contiguous United States, Alaska, Hawaii, and the United States territories have increased in scale, complexity, and severity, fire seasons have lengthened in many parts of the United States to encompass the entire year, and wildfire has become a threat in regions of the United States that have little or no history of wildfire;
Whereas, in the United States from 2016 to 2025, 634,052 wildfires burned, consuming a total of 70,543,367 acres;
Whereas, in the United States from January 1 to May 1, 2026, 1,848,210 acres have burned, which is 94 percent higher than the previous 10-year average, and 24,066 wildfires have been reported, which is 50 percent higher than the previous 10-year average;
Whereas, from May 2026 to August 2026, over 40 percent of States in the United States are expected to face above normal risk for significant wildfire events;
Whereas nearly 85 percent of wildland fires in the United States are caused by humans;
Whereas Federal wildfire suppression efforts cost more than $3,000,000,000 per year, and the total cost of wildfire damage across the United States is estimated to be tens to hundreds of billions of dollars per year;
Whereas significant investments in proactive planning, mitigation, and risk reduction are necessary for the United States to counteract increasingly severe wildfire risk, damage, and loss;
Whereas firefighters are on the front lines and are at an increased risk of developing cancer and respiratory diseases because they are exposed to smoke and hazardous chemicals in the line of duty;
Whereas the effects of long-term exposure to wildfire smoke will harm more people, as particulate pollution can cause asthma attacks, heart attacks, strokes, and even death;
Whereas preventative measures exist to help individuals and communities increase their fire resilience through—
(1)
reducing the risk of home ignition by using fire-resistant construction materials and maintaining yard vegetation;
(2)
community planning that reduces home wildfire exposure and increases access for firefighters;
(3)
evacuation planning and assistance for people and their animals;
(4)
vegetation and forest management; and
(5)
limited use of combustibles during high heat or drier seasons, including fireworks, exhaust, and open flames; and
Whereas a nationally designated Wildfire Preparedness Month—
(1)
increases awareness of the threat of wildfires and the knowledge of lifesaving and fire-mitigation practices; and
(2)
promotes educational initiatives, encourages community programming, and increases overall knowledge and preparedness: Now, therefore, be it
Sec.
That the Senate—
(1)
designates May 2026 as National Wildfire Preparedness Month
;
(2)
encourages increased awareness of, and preparedness for, the threat of wildfires and subsequent suppression efforts at the Federal, State, local, and Tribal levels of government, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian communities, and by nongovernmental organizations and communities; and
(3)
supports resources and educational initiatives that communicate how communities at risk of exposure to wildfire hazards can take preventative measures, including home hardening, land management practices that reduce or remove highly flammable grasses and shrubs, instituting or enhancing early warning systems, reducing unplanned human ignitions, reducing adverse health impacts from smoke and fire exposure, and safely and efficiently evacuating people and their animals.