In the wake of Southern California's catastrophic October wildfires, the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003, one of the most comprehensive pieces of forest management reform in a generation, was passed by Congress Nov. 21 and signed into law by President George W. Bush Dec. 3.

The International Association of Fire Chiefs called the measure's passage a significant victory for the IAFC and the entire U.S. fire service.“This law is expected to dramatically reduce the threat of wildland fires by providing much-needed federal support for fuels mitigation targeted to the wildland-urban interface,” said IAFC President Chief Ernest Mitchell of the Pasadena (Calif.) Fire Department. Only a few days earlier, Mitchell had painted a vivid picture of the wildland-urban interface fuels situation in a briefing held for Bush in California, equating the danger to “wooden boats on lakes of gasoline.”

The measure authorizes $760 million for fuels mitigation projects on 20 million acres of federal land. At least 50% of those funds must be spent in the wildland-urban interface. It also expedites environmental reviews of fuels treatment projects and requires the USDA Forest Service and the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management to fully maintain or contribute to the restoration of old-growth trees. The bill also encourages communities to adopt wildland fire protection plans by giving priority to funding requests from communities with plans.

The IAFC lobbied strongly on behalf of the bipartisan compromise that reconciled House and Senate versions of the bill.

“This means reducing the risk to all who protect our forests and enjoy its many treasures,” said Congressional Fire Services Institute Executive Director Bill Webb, who noted that more than two dozen firefighters died while fighting wildfires in 2003. “We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to the lawmakers in Congress who led the fight to get this critical legislation signed into law.”

According to CFSI, the Healthy Forests Restoration Act does the following:

• Expedites treatment of 20 million acres of federal land at high risk of catastrophic wildfire, disease and insect infestation;
• Authorizes $760 million in hazardous fuels reduction projects;
• Requires 50% of treatments be conducted in the wildland-urban interface;
• Streamlines the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act by requiring no more than three proposed alternatives for forest treatment For interface areas, two alternatives would be required, and for areas within 1 miles of an at-risk community, only one plan would be required.
• Requires judges to consider the “balance of harms” on a forest, community or watershed if treatment projects are not implemented, but still affords citizens the right to appeal proposed government actions;
• Repeals Forest Service administrative appeals process for forest treatments authorized by the legislation and directs the Forest Service to establish new, streamlined process within 30 days of bill's signing;
• Includes protection of old-growth timber stands while recognizing the priority of the legislation to combat catastrophic wildfire, disease and insect infestation.