Regional Leadership in Wildland Fire Research Act of 2025

This bill establishes eight regional wildland fire research centers at eligible universities across eight U.S. regions (including Alaska, California, and the Southeast) to advance fire science. Each center will develop tools for predicting fire behavior, improving firefighter safety, and reducing smoke impacts, while coordinating with federal agencies like the Forest Service and Tribal organizations. Centers must prioritize institutions with existing fire research programs or minority-serving status and will share data openly under FAIR principles. The law requires annual progress reports to Congress and mandates collaboration between researchers, land management agencies, and tribal entities to translate research into practical wildfire management tools.