Fire Innovation Unit Act

The "Fire Innovation Unit Act" mandates the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior to jointly establish a public-private pilot program within one year of enactment. This program is designed to facilitate the deployment and demonstration of new and innovative technologies aimed at improving wildfire prevention, detection, communication, response, and mitigation efforts. It seeks to leverage expertise from both government agencies and external partners to address the growing challenges of wildfires. The pilot program will involve various covered agencies , including federal land management agencies, the Department of Defense, FEMA, and state/local fire departments, collaborating with covered entities such as private companies, nonprofit organizations, and institutions of higher education. Key functions include identifying priority technology areas like hazardous fuels reduction, remote sensing, autonomous suppression systems, and community resilience. The Secretaries will connect participating entities with appropriate agencies for real-time, on-the-ground testing and define clear criteria for evaluating technology success based on effectiveness, scalability, and cost-efficiency. To ensure efficient deployment, the program will coordinate expanded public-private partnerships and multiagency contracting for procurement. The Secretaries are also required to conduct outreach, publicizing technology priority areas and inviting applications from covered entities. Annually, the Secretaries must report to relevant Congressional committees, detailing deployed technologies, acquisition costs, outreach efforts, and recommendations for widespread adoption, with the program set to sunset after seven years.