II
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 5293
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
August 6, 2026
Mr. Ricketts introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior to establish prepositioning protocols for aerial wildfire suppression for early-season fine fuel wildland fires, and for other purposes.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the Pilot for Regional Emergency Prepositioning of Aerial Resources and Equipment Act
or the PREPARE Act
.
Prepositioning protocols for aerial wildfire suppression
In general
The Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Deputy Chief for Fire and Aviation Management of the Forest Service, and the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the Wildland Fire Service (or a successor agency), shall establish a pilot program for seasonal prepositioning protocols of aerial wildfire suppression resources for early-season fine fuel wildland fires in the States of Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas, South Dakota, and Wyoming.
Requirements
The pilot program under subsection (a) shall be established—
in accordance with the State's Master Cooperative Wildland Fire Management and Stafford Act Response Agreement; and
in consultation with the Rocky Mountain Area Coordination Center.
Funding
In general
The Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior shall carry out this section using funding otherwise available for wildland fire management.
Effect
Nothing in this section authorizes any additional appropriations to carry out this section.