EPA Issues Policy Guidance to Help Prevent Catastrophic Wildfires, Promote Use of Prescribed Fires for Mitigation Efforts
WASHINGTON — Today, in accordance with President Trump’s Executive Order “Empowering Commonsense Wildfire Prevention and Response,” U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued policy guidance directing regional offices to work with local, state, Tribal, and federal partners to remove barriers in State Implementation Plans (SIPs) that discourage prescribed fires. In the past, various states have included air quality provisions in SIPs that impede the strategic deployment of wildland prescribed fires in areas vulnerable to catastrophic wildfires. Prescribed fires are a key tool to reducing the impacts of catastrophic wildfires on communities and businesses. The inability to perform strategic prescribed fires could leave American families more vulnerable to destructive fires.
“President Trump has taken strong action to protect Americans from the threat of wildfires, and we are proudly doing our part at EPA to follow the law and ensure our regulations and guidance facilitate good forest management. Prescribed burns, along with other critical forms of forest management, can mean the difference between life and death in the event of a wildfire,” said EPA Administrator Zeldin. “This year, I traveled to Los Angeles, California, and Maui, Hawaii, as part of EPA’s response to recent catastrophic wildfires. We want to ensure states are as prepared as possible to keep residents safe so that Americans don’t lose their life or property in a wildfire.”
Under the Clean Air Act (CAA) and EPA’s Exceptional Events Rule, prescribed fires are eligible to be treated as an exceptional event, meaning air quality data resulting from these strategic fires does not need to be taken into account when determining if an area meets National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). Therefore, the Trump EPA does not believe it is necessary to include air quality regulatory provisions in SIPs that limit the strategic use of prescribed fires.
Today’s memorandum directs EPA’s ten regional offices to engage with local, state, Tribal, and federal partners to develop approaches consistent with the CAA that will not limit the use of wildland prescribed fires. EPA regional offices must also collaborate with state air agencies to evaluate provisions already incorporated into SIPs, and those proposed for inclusion into SIPs, to ensure they are consistent with the CAA and do not limit the strategic application of wildland prescribed fires. Finally, to enable more effective coordination and collaboration on smoke and air quality management, EPA regional offices will work to promote recordkeeping and smoke management practices associated with prescribed fire activities.
EPA is committed to advancing its core mission of protecting human health and the environment. The agency will continue to use the AirNow Fire and Smoke Map, which EPA produces in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, to provide the public with accurate information about wildfire smoke and air quality.
To read the full memorandum to EPA’s regional offices, click here.
Background
On March 12, 2025, Administrator Zeldin announced that EPA was revisiting the Obama-Biden Administration’s Exceptional Events rulemaking and prioritizing the allowance of prescribed fires within SIPs. Today’s memorandum furthers this announcement as EPA continues the rulemaking process, which the agency anticipates completing in 2026. This was announced in conjunction with a number of historic actions to advance President Trump’s Day One executive orders and Power the Great American Comeback. While accomplishing EPA’s core mission of protecting human health and the environment, the agency is committed to fulfilling President Trump’s promise to unleash American energy and lower the cost of living for Americans.
This memorandum comes in the wake of the Trump EPA expeditiously completing the agency’s largest ever wildfire hazardous material removal effort responding to the January 2025 fires in Los Angeles County.