The bill is a joint resolution from the Montana Legislature urging immediate changes to federal land management and wildfire policies to enhance the health, safety, and welfare of Montana's communities. It highlights concerns over the United States Forest Service's "let it burn" policy, which has led to delayed wildfire suppression efforts and increased risks of catastrophic wildfires. The resolution points out that these policies have resulted in hazardous air quality, significant carbon emissions, and escalating costs for wildfire suppression, all of which threaten public health and safety.
The resolution calls for several specific actions, including aggressive initial attacks on wildfires on federal lands, maintaining open and drivable forest roads for effective fire management, and modifying EPA air quality standards to account for wildfire smoke. It also demands the reversal of "let it burn" policies to ensure compliance with environmental assessments and encourages state and local governments to engage in wildfire management on federal lands. The resolution aims to foster collaboration among stakeholders to create policies that better protect at-risk resources and properties from wildfires.