U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), and James Lankford (R-Okla.) introduced bipartisan legislation to promote research on how grazing can support wildfire mitigation, fuels reduction and post-fire recovery.

Several states have implemented pilot programs in which animals like goats and cattle, called “ungulates,” have grazed on prescribed areas of land containing highly flammable grasses and shrubs to mitigate fire risk.

These pilot efforts have successfully reduced vegetation that can fuel rapid fire growth. However, limited scientific research has been conducted on optimal grazing land management techniques that also protect against other environmental harms.

To address this critical research gap, the Wildfire Resilience Through Grazing Research Act would add the “Grazing for Wildfire Mitigation Initiative” to the National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s High-Priority Research List.

“As devastating wildfires pose increasingly severe threats to our communities, we need to explore out-of-the-box approaches to blunt these disasters,” said Sen. Padilla. “Grazing animals like goats and cattle have been successfully used to reduce the hazardous brush that fuels wildfires. Expanding our understanding of novel grazing strategies can make it a cost-effective tool to save lives and protect homes.”

“Using grazing as a way to reduce wildfires is both beneficial to our ranchers and important to eliminating the grasses that accelerate fires on the prairie,” said Sen. Moran. “Kansans have faced devastating wildfires in recent years and understand the importance of proactively working to keep our land healthy and free of undergrowth that can make these fires worse.”

“As the people of Lahaina continue to recover from the devastating wildfires in 2023, we recognize just how necessary it is to pre-emptively reduce wildfire risk,” said Sen. Hirono. “As wildfires occur with increasing frequency across the country, this legislation is a crucial step to help strengthen community resilience by studying the implementation of grazing as a strategy for reducing vegetation that can fuel wildfires. I’m glad to join my colleagues in introducing this important bill to help prevent wildfires and protect our communities.”

“The Nature Conservancy welcomes this bill as a jump start for the utilization of grazing as a tool for wildfire risk reduction,” said Whitney Forman-Cook, senior policy advisor for Forests and Fire at The Nature Conservancy. “In our Roadmap for Wildfire Resilience, we recommend federal land management agencies research and implement new strategies for forest and rangeland fuels reduction treatments at landscape scales. Targeted grazing satisfies that call for a new, cost-effective approach to promoting both drought and wildfire resilience while maintaining rangeland health.”

“Wildfires are growing more intense, destructive and frequent—demanding bold, science-driven solutions. The Wildfire Resilience Through Grazing Research Act invests in the critical research needed to unlock the full potential of sustainable grazing as a wildfire mitigation tool. By equipping land managers, farmers and foresters with data-backed strategies, Congress can ensure grazing reduces fire risk while enhancing soil health, biodiversity and long-term ecosystem resilience,” said Eric Holst, AVP, Wildfire Resilience at Environmental Defense Fund.

Specifically, the Wildfire Resilience Through Grazing Research Act would:

Support research and development of grazing land management techniques for wildfire mitigation and recovery by driving research at land-grant colleges and universities like the University of California system, Kansas State University, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, and Oklahoma State University.

Promote the dissemination of information on these wildlife grazing land management techniques to public and private landowners, land managers, and livestock owners, including land management activities that protect against negative environmental impacts and improve soil health.

The bill is endorsed by the Environmental Defense Fund and The Nature Conservancy.