Wildfire Aerial Response Safety Act

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6618, the Wildfire Aerial Response Safety Act, as amended, bipartisan legislation introduced by my good friend from Oregon and fellow freshman, Representative Bynum, Representative Neguse from Colorado, and Representatives Crane and Ciscomani from Arizona.

The devastating impacts of wildfires are seen far too often across this country, destroying local communities and the livelihoods of many of our constituents. According to the National Interagency Fire Center, there were at least 34 drone incursions into active wildfire suppression areas last year. Of those 34, 29 incursions forced aerial

firefighting efforts to be grounded and significantly delayed critical response efforts.

Most notably, as my colleague Representative Taylor just mentioned, a drone actually struck a Canadian Super Scooper plane during last year's catastrophic wildfires in southern California.

Whether these drone disruptions are intentionally malicious or the result of uninformed operators, they are a costly nuisance to Federal wildfire suppression efforts and needlessly risk the lives of first responders and law enforcement, both those in the air and those on the ground. These brave women and men put their lives on the line to fight dangerous fires and should not have to deal with drone incursions while doing their jobs.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 6618 requires the FAA to evaluate the number and impact of drone incursions over the previous 5 years, including any cost to the Federal Government, the effectiveness of educational public outreach, and deploying approved counter-UAS systems to detect and mitigate against drone interference.

This study and the recommendations will be key in establishing necessary safeguards against drone incursions during wildfire suppression activities. With the growing number and severity of wildfires across the country, we cannot afford to let these dangerous drone incursions go unabated, lest we run the risk of distracting or endangering our firefighters and first responders.

These brave individuals put their lives on the line for us, and today, they need our assistance. This is the first step to delivering it.

Mr. Speaker, I support this legislation. I urge my colleagues to do the same, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Bynum).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, we must do everything that we can to help our firefighters and first responders battling wildfires. We know drone use is becoming more prolific. With that, we are seeing increased risks to the efforts to battle these fires. Sometimes it is out of curiosity. Sometimes it is out of carelessness or recklessness. Sometimes it is just pure stupidity.

At the end of the day, we have an obligation in this House to do everything that we can to protect our firefighters and make sure that they are equipped with the resources and the laws that they need to be able to do their jobs effectively.

That is why I support H.R. 6618, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 6618, my Wildfire Aerial Response Safety Act.

Mr. Speaker, wildfires are no longer seasonal. They are year-round threats that are growing more intense, destructive, and dangerous for the communities that we serve and the responders that we rely on.

In 2020, Oregon experienced one of the most devastating wildfire seasons in our State's history. More than 1 million acres burned. Entire communities were displaced. For days, the air across our State and much of the West was among the worst in the world.

What struck me from that moment wasn't just the scale of the destruction but the importance of fast-acting firefighting to slow the spread and protect lives. One of the tools that firefighters use in Oregon is aerial firefighting, but personal aircraft like drones can prevent that tool from being used.

That is because aviation rules require the grounding of all aircraft when an unauthorized drone is sighted in active response zones. When that happens, it can stop water drops, delay rescues, and interrupt information gathering, which puts nearby communities at risk. Our ground crews lose critical visibility and protection, which increases the danger for firefighters, rescuers, and residents.

Just last August, in my home State of Oregon, a recreational drone delayed the initial air attack of the Flat fire by nearly 30 minutes. This is the window of time when it is most critical in fighting a fire. That is exactly the problem that my bill is designed to address.

The Wildfire Aerial Response Safety Act ensures that our aerial wildfire response is not just fast but safe, coordinated, and effective.

This bill improves the safety and effectiveness of aerial wildfire response by addressing the growing threat of drone interference. It directs the FAA to evaluate recent disruptions, develop solutions, and to prevent future interference. It makes sure that the public understands the risks of flying drones near active wildfires, because the reality is simple: When the airspace isn't managed well, firefighting slows down, and lives are put at risk.

This is a commonsense, bipartisan bill that reflects how wildfire response is evolving in real time. It supports the pilots and the first responders doing this dangerous work, and it helps ensure we are giving them the tools and conditions that they need to succeed.

I thank Representatives Neguse, Crane, and Ciscomani for working with me on this bill and the leadership of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure for passing the bill through committee without opposition.

Protecting firefighters and improving how quickly we respond to wildfires will always remain my top priority.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6618.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6618) to require the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to conduct a study on drone incursions on wildfire suppression, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material in the Record on H.R. 6618.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to support this bipartisan, commonsense legislation that requires the Federal Aviation Administration, in coordination with its Federal partners, to conduct a study and produce a report on the effects of unmanned aircraft system incursions on wildfire suppression efforts.

Federal, State, and local responses to wildfires are incredibly dynamic and require sanitized airspace to ensure rapid response and, ultimately, the effectiveness of an operation. The study and report required in the legislation will produce valuable recommendations that ensure that lawmakers have the necessary information and facts to craft informed policy.

Furthermore, the study will assess the delays of wildfire suppression efforts associated with unlawful UAS incursions and identify the taxpayer resources expended as a result of the incursions.

We witnessed the negative effects that UAS incursions can have on wildfire aerial responses last January during the Pacific Palisades fires when an unauthorized UAS, flying within a temporary flight restriction, struck the wing of a fixed-wing Super Scooper aircraft, endangering the life of the pilot and causing more than $65,000 in damage.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, in the unfortunate event of a wildfire, once that spark is ignited, the only thing that matters is extinguishing the flames as quickly as possible to protect our neighbors, forests, and properties.

We owe all aerial firefighters a great debt of gratitude. In the event of a wildfire, personally, I like for them to be focused on the task at hand rather than worrying about and avoiding unauthorized UAS flying within a Temporary Flight Restriction.

To reiterate, this commonsense study will produce valuable recommendations and ensure lawmakers have the information and facts to craft informed policy.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.