Fix Our Forests Act, Section 102 ("Fireshed Center")

Summary

Establishes a Fireshed Center through collaboration between the Forest Service and the U.S. Geological Survey, involving multiple federal agencies.

Appoints a Director from the U.S. Geological Survey or the Forest Service for a term of up to seven years.

Utilizes artificial intelligence and data tools to assess and predict fire and smoke at the wildland-urban interface for improved management, risk reduction, and recovery.

Promotes data sharing and coordination across federal, state, local, tribal, and private sectors.

Reduces duplication and fragmentation in predictive services and decision support related to wildland fires.

Streamlines procurement and cybersecurity processes.

Develops and disseminates publicly accessible data, models, and technologies for fire risk reduction and recovery planning.

Maintains the Fireshed Registry and supports its operations with personnel and services from the U.S. Geological Survey and the Forest Service.

Establishes a multi-agency Fireshed Center led jointly by the Forest Service and U.S. Geological Survey to coordinate wildfire and smoke prediction, management, and recovery efforts; mandates the Center to use data tools, including artificial intelligence, to assess fire risks, support land and fuel management, improve emergency response and public health planning, reduce duplication across agencies, and share data and decision-support resources with governments, tribes, researchers, and private entities.

SEC. 102. Fireshed center. (a) Establishment.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, and the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey, shall jointly establish a Fireshed Center (hereinafter referred to as the “Center”) comprised of at least one career representative from each of the following:

(A) The Forest Service.

(B) The Bureau of Land Management.

(C) The National Park Service.

(D) The Bureau of Indian Affairs.

(E) The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

(F) The U.S. Geological Survey.

(G) The Department of Defense.

(H) The Department of Homeland Security.

(I) The Department of Energy.

(J) The Federal Emergency Management Agency.

(K) The National Science Foundation.

(L) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

(M) The National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

(N) The National Institute of Standards and Technology.

(2) DIRECTOR.—The Secretary, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, and the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey, shall jointly appoint a Director of the Center, who—

(A) shall be an employee of the U.S. Geological Survey or the Forest Service;

(B) shall serve an initial term of not more than 7 years; and

(C) may serve one additional term of not more than 7 years after the initial term described in subparagraph (B).

(3) ADDITIONAL REPRESENTATION.—The Secretary, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service and the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey, may jointly appoint additional representatives of Federal agencies to the Center, as the Secretaries determine necessary.

(b) Purposes.—The purposes of the Center are to—

(1) comprehensively assess and predict, using data tools (including artificial intelligence) and other decision support products, fire and smoke in the wildland and built environment interface across jurisdictions to inform—

(A) land and fuels management;

(B) community (including at-risk communities identified in fireshed assessments conducted under section 105), public health, and built environment risk reduction; and

(C) fire response and post-fire recovery;

(2) provide data aggregation, real-time land and fuels management services, and science-based decision support services;

(3) reduce fragmentation and duplication across Federal land management agencies with respect to predictive service and decision support functions related to wildland fire and smoke;

(4) promote coordination and sharing of data regarding wildland fire and smoke decision making between Federal agencies, States, Indian Tribes, local governments, academic or research institutions, and private entities;

(5) streamline procurement processes and cybersecurity systems related to addressing wildland fire and smoke;

(6) amplify and distribute existing, and develop as necessary, publicly accessible data, models, technologies (including mapping technologies), assessments, and National Weather Service fire weather forecasts to support short- and long-term planning regarding wildland fire and smoke risk reduction and post-fire recovery while avoiding duplicative efforts;

(7) maintain the Fireshed Registry established under section 103; and

(8) disseminate data tools (including artificial intelligence) and other decision support products, for use in manners consistent with the purposes described paragraphs (1) through (7), to the following:

(A) Federal agencies.

(B) Indian Tribes.

(C) State and local governments.

(D) Academic or research institutions.

(E) Other entities, public or private, identified by the Director.

(c) Memoranda of understanding.—The Center may enter into memorandums of understanding, contracts, or other agreements with State governments, Indian Tribes, local governments, academic or research institutions, and private entities to improve the information and operations of the Center.

(d) Administrative support, technical services, and staff support.—

(1) USGS SUPPORT.—The Secretary of the Interior shall make personnel of the U.S. Geological Survey available to the Center for such administrative support, technical services, and development and dissemination of data as the Secretary determines necessary to carry out this section.

(2) USFS SUPPORT.—The Secretary shall make personnel of the Forest Service available to the Center for such administrative support, technical services, and the development and dissemination of information related to fireshed management and the Fireshed Registry as the Secretary determines necessary to carry out this section.