The U.S. Senate unanimously passed a resolution introduced by Senators Mazie Hirono and John Barrasso designating May as “National Wildfire Preparedness Month” to encourage increased awareness and preparedness as wildfires across the country increase in scale, complexity, and severity. The introduction of this resolution comes as recovery efforts continue following the devastating Lahaina wildfires in 2023 and the Los Angeles fires earlier this year.
From January 1 to May 2, 2025, over 22,000 wildfires burned more than 988,000 acres, which is above the 10-year average occurrence of wildfires and average 10-year burned area. As wildfires become growing threats in regions of the U.S. that have little to no history of wildfires and, in many parts of the country, fire seasons are lengthening to encompass the entire year, this resolution emphasizes the need for investment in planning, mitigation, and risk reduction efforts to counteract wildfire risk, damage, and loss. The resolution also supports expanding resources and educational initiatives that communicate how at-risk communities can take preventative measures to limit wildfire hazards.
The resolution is endorsed by the Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization, the National Wildfire Suppression Association, and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).
AP Photo
