Washington, D.C.--Yesterday, Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) introduced H.R. 3300, the Forest Protection and Wildland Firefighter Safety Act of 2025, to ensure aerial fire retardant remains available for wildfire suppression efforts without being tied up in Clean Water Act permitting delays. The bipartisan bill clarifies that federal, state, local, and tribal firefighting agencies do not need a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit to use fire retardant from aircraft when responding to wildfires. The bill, introduced alongside Reps. Panetta (D-CA) and Hurd (R-CO), has already earned strong support from local leaders, here’s what they’re saying:
Travis Joseph, President/CEO, American Forest Resource Council: “The Forest Protection and Wildland Firefighter Safety Act gives wildland firefighters the tools they need to protect lives, communities, and forests from catastrophic wildfire. It will prevent unnecessary litigation that could block the aerial use of fire retardants—one of the most effective tools we have to slow the spread of fast-moving fires. This commonsense bill, paired with proactive, science-based forest management, is essential to confronting our nation’s growing wildfire and smoke crisis. With another dangerous fire season approaching, Congress must act swiftly to pass the Forest Protection and Wildland Firefighter Safety Act. We cannot afford to let our forests burn while proven suppression and management tools are tied up in red tape.”
Matt Dias, President and CEO, Calforests: “Maintaining healthy forests supports the economy in Northern California and beyond and safeguards communities at risk from catastrophic wildfire, but prevention is not enough. Fire retardants have played an integral role in stopping some of the most devastating wildfires in recent history, and the Forest Protection and Wildland Firefighter Safety Act will ensure our wildland firefighters continue to have access to this critical firefighting tool. I urge Congress to pass the Forest Protection and Wildland Firefighter Safety Act to safeguard aerial fire retardants, which is ultimately a decision to prioritize lives, land, businesses, and forested environments.”
Tod Kimmelshue, Chair Butte County Board of Supervisors: “Butte County knows first-hand the destruction that wildfire can bring to our communities. It’s essential that fire fighters have the ability to use fire retardant to protect lives and communities.”
Chris Edwards, President, Oregon Forest Industries Council: “Oregon is home to some of the most productive forests in the world, but the severe wildfire seasons in recent years have made it clear that many of these landscapes are increasingly vulnerable and at risk. In order to maintain this treasured resource for recreation, for key species habitat, and for the production of renewable building materials, the agencies that are responsible for keeping our communities and forests safe during wildfire season must have every tool in the toolbelt available for use. The Forest Protection and Wildland Firefighter Safety Act is a perfect example of commonsense legislation that will facilitate the timely and effective use of one of the most essential suppression tools available to us. We urge Congress to take quick and decisive action in passing this Act.”
Doug Teeter, Butte County Supervisor: “The health, welfare, and economic prosperity of the residents of Butte County, along with many other rural communities, are uniquely reliant on—and impacted by—the Forest Service’s wildfire suppression efforts, which is why I am urging Congress to pass the Forest Protection and Wildland Firefighter Safety Act to allow the Forest Service to continue deploying aerial fire retardants.”
Paul Petersen, Executive Director of the United Aerial Firefighters Association (UAFA): "UAFA is deeply troubled by efforts to restrict the use of aerially applied fire retardant through legal challenges. At a time when wildfires are expanding rapidly into the Wildland-Urban Interface where communities are at greater risk, fire retardant is a proven, essential tool in assisting wildland firefighters in their fight to contain, control and defeat wildfire. The tools that slow or stop the spread of wildfire are critical to protecting lives and property. As this lawsuit threatens to continue into its third year, UAFA strongly supports Congressman LaMalfa and Senator Lummis' legislation, the Forest Protection and Wildland Firefighter Safety Act of 2025, which allows the federal, states, and tribal governments to continue the use of aerially applied fire retardants."
Bill Connelly, Rural County Representatives of California, Butte County Representative: “Aerial fire retardant is one of the most effective wildfire suppression tools in our firefighting arsenal. Its swift application can stop a wildfire from becoming catastrophic — saving lives, property, and landscapes. The Forest Protection and Wildland Firefighter Safety Act will safeguard this critical tool for firefighting agencies, ultimately protecting our families, businesses, and communities.”
Greg Bolin, Town of Paradise, California: "No one knows the damage that wildfires can cause more so than communities like mine. We lost our town to one of the biggest fires in California history, so securing access to aerial fire retardants for wildfire suppression is a very personal issue for us. Our brave firefighters need every tool in the toolbox to protect human lives and property against wildfires, and the Forest Protection and Wildland Firefighter Safety Act would significantly move the needle in that effort.”
Congressman Doug LaMalfa is Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus and a lifelong farmer representing California’s First Congressional District, including Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama and Yuba Counties.
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Travis Joseph, President/CEO, American Forest Resource Council: “The Forest Protection and Wildland Firefighter Safety Act gives wildland firefighters the tools they need to protect lives, communities, and forests from catastrophic wildfire. It will prevent unnecessary litigation that could block the aerial use of fire retardants—one of the most effective tools we have to slow the spread of fast-moving fires. This commonsense bill, paired with proactive, science-based forest management, is essential to confronting our nation’s growing wildfire and smoke crisis. With another dangerous fire season approaching, Congress must act swiftly to pass the Forest Protection and Wildland Firefighter Safety Act. We cannot afford to let our forests burn while proven suppression and management tools are tied up in red tape.”
Matt Dias, President and CEO, Calforests: “Maintaining healthy forests supports the economy in Northern California and beyond and safeguards communities at risk from catastrophic wildfire, but prevention is not enough. Fire retardants have played an integral role in stopping some of the most devastating wildfires in recent history, and the Forest Protection and Wildland Firefighter Safety Act will ensure our wildland firefighters continue to have access to this critical firefighting tool. I urge Congress to pass the Forest Protection and Wildland Firefighter Safety Act to safeguard aerial fire retardants, which is ultimately a decision to prioritize lives, land, businesses, and forested environments.”
Tod Kimmelshue, Chair Butte County Board of Supervisors: “Butte County knows first-hand the destruction that wildfire can bring to our communities. It’s essential that fire fighters have the ability to use fire retardant to protect lives and communities.”
Chris Edwards, President, Oregon Forest Industries Council: “Oregon is home to some of the most productive forests in the world, but the severe wildfire seasons in recent years have made it clear that many of these landscapes are increasingly vulnerable and at risk. In order to maintain this treasured resource for recreation, for key species habitat, and for the production of renewable building materials, the agencies that are responsible for keeping our communities and forests safe during wildfire season must have every tool in the toolbelt available for use. The Forest Protection and Wildland Firefighter Safety Act is a perfect example of commonsense legislation that will facilitate the timely and effective use of one of the most essential suppression tools available to us. We urge Congress to take quick and decisive action in passing this Act.”
Doug Teeter, Butte County Supervisor: “The health, welfare, and economic prosperity of the residents of Butte County, along with many other rural communities, are uniquely reliant on—and impacted by—the Forest Service’s wildfire suppression efforts, which is why I am urging Congress to pass the Forest Protection and Wildland Firefighter Safety Act to allow the Forest Service to continue deploying aerial fire retardants.”
Paul Petersen, Executive Director of the United Aerial Firefighters Association (UAFA): "UAFA is deeply troubled by efforts to restrict the use of aerially applied fire retardant through legal challenges. At a time when wildfires are expanding rapidly into the Wildland-Urban Interface where communities are at greater risk, fire retardant is a proven, essential tool in assisting wildland firefighters in their fight to contain, control and defeat wildfire. The tools that slow or stop the spread of wildfire are critical to protecting lives and property. As this lawsuit threatens to continue into its third year, UAFA strongly supports Congressman LaMalfa and Senator Lummis' legislation, the Forest Protection and Wildland Firefighter Safety Act of 2025, which allows the federal, states, and tribal governments to continue the use of aerially applied fire retardants."
Bill Connelly, Rural County Representatives of California, Butte County Representative: “Aerial fire retardant is one of the most effective wildfire suppression tools in our firefighting arsenal. Its swift application can stop a wildfire from becoming catastrophic — saving lives, property, and landscapes. The Forest Protection and Wildland Firefighter Safety Act will safeguard this critical tool for firefighting agencies, ultimately protecting our families, businesses, and communities.”
Greg Bolin, Town of Paradise, California: "No one knows the damage that wildfires can cause more so than communities like mine. We lost our town to one of the biggest fires in California history, so securing access to aerial fire retardants for wildfire suppression is a very personal issue for us. Our brave firefighters need every tool in the toolbox to protect human lives and property against wildfires, and the Forest Protection and Wildland Firefighter Safety Act would significantly move the needle in that effort.”
Congressman Doug LaMalfa is Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus and a lifelong farmer representing California’s First Congressional District, including Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama and Yuba Counties.
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