Interior Alaska News

U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan and Ben Ray Luján have introduced the Regional Leadership in Wildland Fire Research Act, a bipartisan effort to create regional research centers at higher education institutions across the United States. The aim is to develop advanced fire and vegetation models and technologies to aid the wildland fire management community.

The U.S. Fire Administration notes that current wildfire models fall short in predicting fire behavior under extreme conditions and complex environments, struggling with recent catastrophic wildfires. Improved models are needed for effective management and firefighter preparation against evolving risks.

Senator Sullivan stated, "Wildfires burn millions of acres in Alaska every year—sometimes as much or more than the combined acreage burned in the rest of the country." He emphasized investing in research for accurate models to help firefighters predict and control fires before they escalate into disasters.

Senator Luján highlighted the importance of understanding wildfire causes: "Far too many communities in New Mexico and in states across the country know that wildfire season can cost you everything, from homes to small businesses."

The bill has support from several organizations including the Geological Society of America, Federation of American Scientists, National Federation of Federal Employees, Forest Stewards Guild, The Nature Conservancy, University of New Mexico, and University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Dr. Zander Evans from Forest Stewards Guild remarked on the need for research innovation: “Fire Research Centers can respond to questions from managers and firefighters about how to mitigate and respond to unprecedented wildfire behavior.”

Dr. Christopher Bailey from The Geological Society of America added that these centers will advance understanding of wildfire behavior and mitigation strategies: "The regional research centers established through this act will play a crucial role... ultimately aiding in the protection of both human lives and natural landscapes."

Garnett S. Stokes from The University of New Mexico expressed strong support for improved fire risk models: “UNM acknowledges the critical function this legislation will serve as we aim to provide more accurate information."

Chancellor Dr. Dan White from UAF stressed Alaska's risk: "Approximately 80% of Alaska's population is living in areas at risk... I'm grateful Senator Sullivan recognizes this."

Daniel Correa from Federation of American Scientists praised it as a significant investment: “Extreme weather has pushed wildfires to grow... making our current wildfire models inadequate.”

Matt Weiner from Megafire Action pointed out past investments on other disasters: “We spend billions on improving our understanding... that hasn’t happened yet with megafire.”

The full text and a one-pager on the bill are available online.