US HB1923

Creates a Middle Fire Leaders Academy within one year to provide rapid training and certification for wildfire and prescribed burn leaders, with $10 million authorized annually for fiscal years 2026-2035

Establishes a competitive wildfire workforce grant program through the Department of Education for educational institutions to offer degrees and credentials in fire science, emergency management, natural resource management, and related fields, with $10 million authorized annually for fiscal years 2026-2035

Reforms federal wildland firefighter retirement benefits by allowing breaks in service of up to 24 months without losing enhanced retirement status, and enables job-sharing arrangements between federal positions and Tribal government positions

Creates a National Smoke Monitoring and Alert System requiring NOAA, Forest Service, EPA, and CDC to establish consistent real-time air quality information and forecasts from wildfire smoke, including county-resolution smoke alerts for public health, with $32 million authorized annually for fiscal years 2026-2035

Establishes a Joint Office of the Fire Environment Center to provide real-time decision support tools for wildfire management, creates a Wildfire Digital Data Center for research data sharing, and requires 90-day payment timelines for approved wildfire-related disaster assistance applications across multiple federal programs