On the recordMay 26, 2022
I rise to introduce the Fire Suppression Improvement Act and the Post Fire Flooding and Debris Flow Act. Currently, the Fire Management Assistance Grant, FMAG, Program is available to State, local, and Tribal governments for the mitigation, management, and control of fires that threaten such destruction that they would constitute a major disaster. However, under current law, FMAGs can only be used to reimburse expenses incurred after it is granted. The Fire Suppression Improvement Act would explicitly allow for State or local governments to use FMAGs for the predeployment of assets and resources. These predeployed assets are critical to suppression of fires and are sometimes the only way to contain a fire before it gets out of hand and needs a major disaster declaration. This bill would simply allow for FMAGs to help State and local governments cover the cost of fighting incidents from the beginning of the high-risk event. Additionally, this bill would make FMAGs consistent with other FEMA disaster assistance by stating that the Federal cost share of FMAGs shall be not less than 75 percent of the eligible cost of such assistance. This bill does not mandate any cost share increase but simply allows for flexibility. FMAGS are granted on an incident-by- incident basis, and as we have seen across the West, fires often occur in the same area consecutively in the same year.…
