Passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Forest Service’s 10-year Wildfire Strategy signal a new era of historic investments in ecosystem restoration and wildfire risk reduction in the western U.S. But as initial projects and implementation plans are announced, the opportunities for community-based prescribed fire practitioners and advocates to engage in and inform the strategic expansion of prescribed fire continues to be unclear.

In this session, we will:

• Unpack the complex terrain of federal policymaking entities and venues that will influence federal wildfire and fuels reduction strategies.
• Review RVCC’s and partners’ collective prescribed fire and cooperative burning advocacy interests and recommendations.
• Identify opportunities for engagement, coalition-building, and advocacy using existing or new venues and strategies.