DRAFT Fire Safe Communities Act Bill Summary
Posted: 04/16/2009

Senator Feinstein reintroduced the Fire Safe Communities Act. A summary is included here:

Fire Safe Communities Act Bill Summary

The Fire Safe Community Act would establish new incentives for communities that are at risk of wildfire to take responsible mitigation measures.

Key Components of the Act include:

• Establishing incentives for communities that decide to become fire safe by changing the federal share of firefighting and emergency expenses reimbursed under FEMA’s Fire Management Assistance Grants (FMAG). Currently States and local communities can be reimbursed 75% of their fire fighting and emergency service expenses if FEMA determines a fire threatens significant number of homes and structures. If this bill is passed, communities located in a fire hazard area who have implemented a nationally recognized wildland fire code or have mandated the retrofit of structures known to be vulnerable to wildfire such as shake roofs, will be eligible to be reimbursed for 90% of their expenses covered under the FMAG program.

• Developing a new $25 million grant program to assist local communities implement the activities and policies of nationally recognized wildland fire codes and standards. Communities located in fire hazard areas may apply for this grant to help implement the responsible development and wildfire mitigation strategies recommended by wildland fire professionals. These grants, administered by FEMA, can be used to enforce local ordinances and inspect for compliance, develop incentive programs to retrofit hazardous structures, create defensible space and reduce hazardous fuel loads near communities.

• Authorizing the US Forest Service and the Department of the Interior to offer grants to local communities for fire safe practices. The bill makes revisions to the authorization of the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior to allow them to administer grants to local communities for the implementation of a nationally recognized wildland fire code. As the primary federal entities responsible for federal lands, it is essential that both USFS and DOI are intimately involved in encouraging the practices advocated by wildand fire codes.