New Mexico senator introduces legislation that would support wildfire research

Apr. 19—New Mexico Sen. Ben Ray Luján introduced legislation Thursday to create wildfire research centers across the U.S.

The Wildland Fire Research Act is meant to support more research on the models for managing wildfires and research to help guide decisions before a controlled burn, and to create pipelines for more wildland firefighters. Democrat Luján introduced the bipartisan bill with Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan, a Republican.

"Too many communities in New Mexico and in states across the country know that wildfires season can cost you everything," Luján said, pointing to the devastation caused by the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire in 2022.

The bill would establish regional research centers at higher education institutes to develop new technology for wildland fire management, research fire mitigation and rehabilitation strategies and address fire management needs specific to the areas where the research centers are located.

Current fire modeling is not adequate, according to Luján, who cited the example of the 2020 Creek Fire in Sierra Nevada, California. Research published in collaboration with the Forest Service in 2022 showed that operational fire behavior models were unable to predict the Creek Fire's behavior.

The bill would also establish a national center coordination board and regional advisory boards from state and tribal governments and wildfire management agencies.

"There's a shortage right now of being able to recruit and retain wildland firefighters across the country," Luján said. "This is a very hard job. So, ensuring that there are additional career pathways for individuals is something that's critically important, as well as strengthening the models that will be used to be able to manage these fires or put these fires out, which will create safer conditions for wildland firefighters to work with."

According to Luján, the bill would support expanding research that colleges like New Mexico Highlands University and the University of New Mexico have already begun.

"We have two leaders in our state that are benefiting all of the Western states as well, but whatever we can do to create more tools, research that will strengthen the modeling that goes into managing wildfires, putting them out, helping to save more lives, more communities, as well as creating pipelines for more wildland firefighters is why this legislation is absolutely needed."

UNM President Garnett Stokes said that the school supports the bill. The legislation also garnered support from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and the Federation of American Scientists.

"Extreme weather has pushed wildfires to grow in size and severity, making our current wildfire models inadequate. The Regional Leadership in Wildland Fire Research Act is a significant investment in understanding how wildland fire risks continue to evolve," said Daniel Correa, Chief Executive Officer of the Federation of American Scientists, in a statement.