To amend section 5545 of title 5, United States Code, to provide hazard pay for carrying out prescribed burns, and for other purposes.

This bill would make sure federal firefighters and smokejumpers get hazard pay when they light, control, or put out planned fires (called prescribed burns), and when smokejumpers make training or mission jumps. The hazard pay would match the extra pay given for fighting wildfires on the fireline. It also clearly defines “prescribed burn” as the intentional use of fire for land or resource management.

The Office of Personnel Management would have to issue rules within 90 days to put this in place. The new pay would start for pay periods after the earlier of: when those rules come out or 90 days after the bill becomes law. Current hazard pay for other dangerous duties would stay as is, except where needed to match these new rules for prescribed burns and smokejumper jumps.

Key points

• Who is affected: Federal firefighters and smokejumpers involved in prescribed burns or parachute jumps.
• What changes: They would receive hazard pay equal to that for fighting forest and range fires on the fireline; “prescribed burn” is defined in law.
• When: Takes effect for pay periods after the earlier of OPM issuing rules or 90 days after enactment.