Bill Overview
Title: Fire Ready Nation Act of 2022
Description: This bill establishes fire weather programs and activities to improve fire forecasting and readiness. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shall establish a coordinated fire weather services program within NOAA to support readiness, responsiveness, and overall resilience of the United States to wildfires, fire weather, smoke, and other associated conditions, hazards, and impacts in built and natural environments (including at the wildland-urban interface); develop a comprehensive, centralized, and publicly accessible digital presence designed to promote usability of the services, tools, data, and information produced by the program; develop services that provide public access to digital fire weather data and information; seek to acquire sufficient high-performance computing resources and capacity for research, operations, and data storage in support of the program; establish a fire weather testbed to evaluate the accuracy and usability of technology, models, fire weather products and services, and other research to accelerate the implementation and use of new capabilities by NOAA, federal and land management agencies, and other relevant stakeholders; conduct annual post-fire-weather season surveys and assessments; establish an Incident Meteorologist Service within the National Weather Service (NWS); assess resources, personnel, procedures, and activities necessary to maximize the functionality and utility of the automated surface observing system and implement a plan that addresses the findings of the assessment; and conduct a workforce support services assessment of NWS employees engaged in emergency response.
Sponsors: Rep. Schrier, Kim [D-WA-8]
Target Audience
Population: People living in wildfire-prone areas globally
Estimated Size: 54000000
- The bill aims to improve the fire forecast and response systems, which is critical for areas prone to wildfires, including both natural and urban environments.
- Individuals living in the wildland-urban interface are particularly at risk from wildfires.
- The bill's improvements to forecasting and readiness are likely to benefit everyone in wildfire-prone regions globally, directly or indirectly.
- Enhanced fire weather services can impact people by improving emergency response and potentially reducing loss of property and life due to fires.
- The global population at risk from wildfires includes not just those in the US, but also in regions like Australia, Southern Europe, and other high-risk wildfire zones around the world.
Reasoning
- The target population primarily includes individuals living in western US states as well as those residing in the wildland-urban interface where wildfire risk is high.
- Given the budget constraints, the focus will be on developing technology that can rapidly enhance predictive accuracy and response times.
- The policy will likely have varying degrees of impact on individuals depending on their proximity to wildfire-prone areas and dependent infrastructures.
- The improvements to fire weather services can directly influence public safety and individual wellbeing by reducing the potential for loss of life and property.
- Technological advancements and workforce development are key components, and their impact might be limited by initial budget allocation, but significant over a longer term.
Simulated Interviews
Fire Safety Officer (Palm Springs, CA)
Age: 54 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The Fire Ready Nation Act will provide much-needed resources to better forecast fire conditions.
- Having more accurate data can help us deploy resources more effectively.
- It might take some time to see all the planned improvements fully implemented.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 10 | 6 |
School Teacher (Medford, OR)
Age: 32 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- With kids in the house, I worry about evacuation and long-term health impacts from smoke.
- If the policy improves air quality forecasts, it will ease some of that stress.
- I’m hopeful for better coordination of emergency alerts.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 4 |
IT Specialist (Spokane, WA)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It seems like a very comprehensive plan that could really improve our emergency preparedness.
- I'm curious to see if the weather prediction accuracy will truly improve.
- As someone who occasionally faces bad air quality, I'm in favor of this policy.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Retired (Redding, CA)
Age: 60 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I’ve seen how fast fires can move, so any improvement in readiness is good.
- I hope this leads to fewer evacuations and less property damage.
- It gives me some peace of mind to know that meteorological services are being enhanced.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Student (San Diego, CA)
Age: 27 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- As someone new to this area, I'm just learning about wildfire risks here.
- This policy seems to promise better information and readiness, which I fully support.
- It’s important that people understand the alerts and how to respond.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Environmental Scientist (Boulder, CO)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Improved data will enhance my research capabilities.
- I believe this will foster a better understanding of fire dynamics in changing climates.
- It's crucial for interdisciplinary collaborations to effectively implement the policy.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 10 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 10 | 7 |
Delivery Driver (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I’m concerned about safety while on duty, especially during fire season.
- The Act could help avoid road closures or dangerous conditions using better forecasts.
- I’m cautiously optimistic it will improve job safety and response times.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Healthcare Worker (Sacramento, CA)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 17/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm hopeful that improved forecasts will allow us to better prepare for smoke events.
- Ensuring our department is ready and informed is my main concern.
- I’m interested to see how accessible the new digital tools will be for staff.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Construction Worker (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 43 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 16/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy seems like a good initiative to keep workers like me safe and informed.
- Accurate forecasts can help mitigate health risks during active fire situations.
- I hope there will be education sessions so everyone understands the systems.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
Tour Guide (Santa Fe, NM)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- As someone who relies on clear air for my work, this policy could be very beneficial.
- Community awareness and alerts can help keep visitors safe too.
- I’m positive it could lead to more stable business conditions.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $150000000 (Low: $120000000, High: $180000000)
Year 2: $140000000 (Low: $110000000, High: $170000000)
Year 3: $135000000 (Low: $105000000, High: $165000000)
Year 5: $130000000 (Low: $100000000, High: $160000000)
Year 10: $120000000 (Low: $90000000, High: $150000000)
Year 100: $100000000 (Low: $80000000, High: $120000000)
Key Considerations
- The upfront investment in technology and infrastructure is significant but necessary for long-term resilience.
- Coordination among federal, state, and local agencies is crucial to maximizing the effectiveness of this bill.
- Potential variability in climate patterns may affect the precision and reliability of fire weather forecasts over time.