H.R. 6387 · Where this bill is now
In the Senate
Passed the House Apr 22, 2026. Received Apr 27, 2026; no Senate vote yet
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryExpands what counts as exceptional air pollution events
This bill changes how the EPA handles air quality measurements when certain events cause pollution spikes. It broadens what qualifies as an 'exceptional event'—situations where pollution isn't the result of normal sources—to include human activities designed to prevent wildfires from happening again, as well as heat waves and air stagnation that don't normally occur. It also tells the EPA to update its rules about measuring air quality when wildfire prevention actions are taken, and to coordinate across states when they report on the same event.
How it affects you
This mainly affects states and regions dealing with wildfire risk and air quality monitoring. If your state is affected by wildfires or wildfire prevention efforts, this could change how pollution is measured and reported in your area, potentially allowing the EPA to exclude certain pollution spikes from official records. Most people won't notice a direct daily change, but communities working on air quality standards and wildfire management may see different reporting practices.
Read the official summary (Reported to House, Apr 9, 2026)
Fire Improvement and Reforming Exceptional Events Act or the FIRE Act
This bill modifies the definition of exceptional events under the Clean Air Act and requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to revise its regulations regarding exceptional events or actions to mitigate wildfire risk.
Generally, the EPA must exclude data from use in determinations of exceedances and violations of national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) if a state demonstrates that an exceptional event caused a specific air pollution concentration.
The bill provides that events caused by human activity that are intended to mirror the occurrence or reoccurrence of a natural event are exceptional events. Additionally, the bill no longer excludes from consideration as an exceptional event (1) meteorological events involving high temperatures or a lack of precipitation, or (2) stagnation of air masses that does not ordinarily occur.
The bill requires the EPA to revise regulations regarding the reviewing and handling of air quality monitoring data influenced by actions to mitigate wildfire risk.
The bill also requires the EPA to conduct regional modeling and analysis when multiple states submit petitions regarding the same exceptional event or action to mitigate wildfire risk.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionH. R. 6387
AN ACT
FIRE Act
Sponsor: Rep. Gabe Evans (R-CO-8) · Introduced Dec 3, 2025 · Environmental Protection · 4 versions of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Apr 27, 2026: “Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.”
How Congress voted
Official roll callsHouse · On Passage · Apr 22, 2026
Passage Passed 220–198
| Party | Yes | No | Didn’t vote |
|---|---|---|---|
| Democrats | 8 | 197 | 7 |
| Independents | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Republicans | 211 | 1 | 5 |
9 members voted against most of their party: 8 Democrats voted Yes and 1 Republicans voted No.
Congress votes on whole bills and amendments, not on single sections.
Sections
The wording of this bill hasn’t changed across its 4 official versions.