Summary

Creates a federal program to establish at least eight regional wildland fire research centers hosted by colleges or land‑grant universities to coordinate applied research, develop models and tools, share data, and train practitioners. The Secretaries must run a competitive process that begins with a pilot of at least two centers and completes selection of all regions within two years of the pilot, with placement across eight named geographic regions and priority given to institutions with existing fire programs or minority‑serving status. Also expands the statutory duties of existing Institutes for wildland fire research, creates a National Center Coordination Board to oversee coordination, and requires collaboration with federal research entities. Activities and center establishment are subject to available appropriations.

• Creates at least eight regional wildland fire research centers hosted at colleges or land‑grant universities.
• Starts with a pilot of at least two centers, then completes selection of remaining centers within two years of the pilot.
• Prioritizes institutions with existing fire research, federal/academic partnerships, Joint Fire Science Program involvement, or minority‑serving status.
• Expands statutory duties of wildland fire Institutes to require applied research, predictive models, data sharing, technology transfer, and training.
• Establishes a National Center Coordination Board to coordinate the regional network and federal partnerships.
• Requires coordination with Federal science agencies, National Laboratories, NOAA, USDA, DOI bureaus, and other federal research entities.
• Centers must produce applied tools for fire and smoke prediction, real‑time integration, and land management decision support.
• All activities are subject to appropriations; the act does not specify funding levels.