New Bill Sets Standard Response Time for Wildfires

A new bipartisan bill would create a national standard for response times to wildfires that affect public lands after the destructive fires in California this year, The Hill reported.

Sens. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., a former aerial firefighter, and Andy Kim, D-N.J., introduced the Wildfire Response and Preparedness Act to create a half-hour standard response time for wildfires on lands administered by the Interior and Agriculture Departments.

The National Fire Protection Association has a standard response time for structural fires, which is just under five minutes and 30 seconds, but no standard for wildfires. The bill has support from the Western Fire Chiefs Association and the United Aerial Firefighters Association, according to NBC News. 

"The WRAP Act will help our brave firefighters put out wildfires while they are small and dramatically reduce catastrophic wildfire damage. This bill will save lives and prevent hundreds of billions of dollars in future property damage," Sheehy said in a statement.

"As New Jerseyans and people across our country experience worsening devastation from wildfires due to climate change, a more aggressive response time can be a lifesaving tool for them and our first responders," Kim said in a statement. "With this bill, we are able to expand on the success of standards for structure fires and put our best foot forward in protecting communities from the threat of wildfires."

• LA County Sues Utility Alleging Equipment Sparked Wildfire
• Wildfires Cause Forced Evacuations in Carolinas