ORANGE COUNTY, CA – Today, Congresswoman Young Kim (CA-40) convened a roundtable of federal, state, and local firefighting agencies, wildfire innovation and policy partners, and wildfire technology companies to discuss barriers to adopting cutting-edge wildfire technologies and how the federal government can help get lifesaving tools onto the fireground faster.
Participants included the Orange County Fire Authority, Anaheim Fire and Rescue, City of Orange Fire Department, U.S. Wildland Fire Service, U.S. Forest Service, FireWERX, Irvine Ranch Conservancy, Megafire Action, ALERTCalifornia, Earth Fire Alliance, Metrea, Paladin, and Tablet.
While state and local agencies are advancing wildfire innovation, federal land management agencies lack a streamlined process to test and deploy emerging technologies. The Orange County Fire Authority has established its own Fire Innovation Unit, and California recently passed SB 1079 to create a similar unit within CAL FIRE.
Rep. Kim’s Fire Innovation Unit Act would bring this approach to the federal level by allowing companies, nonprofits, and universities to test new tools alongside firefighting agencies. The legislation would establish clear performance standards and coordinate procurement to help proven technologies move more quickly from testing to the fire line.
“Our first responders are stretched thin, and we need every tool available to protect our communities,” said Rep. Young Kim. “Many of these tools already exist, and innovators are developing even more, but too many face barriers to testing and adoption. I appreciate our fire chiefs, federal partners, and wildfire innovators coming together to identify where coordination breaks down. I look forward to bringing their insights back to Congress and working with my colleagues to cut through red tape and get the very best technology into our first responders’ hands.”
“As wildfire season grows in scope and intensity, the fire service must continuously evolve at an equal or greater pace,” said TJ McGovern, Fire Chief of the Orange County Fire Authority. “OCFA has long harnessed emerging technology to transform wildland firefighting, and Congresswoman Kim’s leadership in bringing key partners together will help accelerate that innovation and better protect firefighters and the communities we serve.”
“We are grateful to Representative Young Kim for convening this roundtable and for her leadership on wildfire. FireWERX supports agency-led Fire Innovation Units that evaluate and adopt the most promising innovations to end the wildfire crisis, so firefighters have what they need and communities are safer and more resilient.”
Congresswoman Young Kim has been working to equip first responders with the tools they need to prevent wildfires, improve response times, and protect Southern California communities. Her wildfire initiatives include:
- Introducing the bipartisan Wildfire Response and Preparedness Act (H.R. 4038), which would set a national 30-minute response time standard for wildfires on federal land.
- Introducing the bipartisan BRUSH Fires Act, which would evaluate and strengthen wildfire mitigation in shrubland ecosystems like those that burned in the 2024 Airport Fire.
- Introducing the bipartisan Cross-Boundary Wildfire Solutions Act, which would identify ways to streamline wildfire mitigation coordination across federal, state, local, and tribal lands.
- Cosponsoring the bipartisan Forest Protection and Wildland Firefighter Safety Act, which would ensure firefighting agencies can use fire retardant without burdensome permitting restrictions.
