A bipartisan bill introduced in the U.S. Senate this week would dramatically expand death benefits for wildland firefighters and their families, bringing compensation in line with what military families receive when service members are killed in the line of duty. The legislation — introduced by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Sen. John Curtis (R-UT) — comes in direct response to a season that has seen multiple firefighter fatalities across the West, including at least one death connected to Oregon's Austin Fire on the Mt. Hood National Forest.

What the Bill Would Do

Under current law, families of wildland firefighters killed on federal lands receive a relatively modest death benefit. The new legislation — dubbed the Wildfire Equal Expanded Act — would increase that benefit to match the up to $100,000 provided to families of U.S. military personnel killed in service.

The benefit would apply to:

  • Federal wildland firefighters (USFS, BLM, NPS, FWS, BIA)
  • State and local wildland firefighters
  • Eligible contractors working on wildland fire incidents

The expanded benefit would be retroactive to deaths occurring on or after January 1, 2026, meaning families of firefighters who have already lost loved ones this season could qualify if the bill passes.

The Human Cost Behind the Legislation

The 2026 fire season has underscored the mortal dangers faced by wildland firefighters. At least one firefighter died after being injured while battling the Austin Fire on the Mt. Hood National Forest in Oregon, where crews fought for months in steep terrain, dense brush, and dry timber. Nationally, the toll from wildfire suppression work continues to mount as firefighters face increasingly extreme conditions — hotter temperatures, drier fuels, and more erratic wind-driven fire behavior driven by a changing climate.

Bipartisan Support

"Wildland firefighters risk their lives to protect our communities, forests, and wildlands," Sen. Merkley said in a statement accompanying the bill's introduction. "They deserve the same recognition and support as our military heroes when they give the ultimate sacrifice."

Sen. Curtis, a Republican from Utah who has advocated for Western public lands, joined as a key co-sponsor, reflecting growing bipartisan recognition of the wildland firefighting crisis. Sen. Merkley, who is seeking a fourth term in the upcoming midterm election, has made firefighter compensation a signature issue.

Background: A Long Fight for Pay and Benefits

The bill builds on earlier legislative wins for wildland firefighters, including provisions in the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that temporarily boosted base pay for federal firefighters. Advocates have argued that permanent compensation reform is essential to address a firefighter shortage that has left agencies struggling to staff suppression assignments during peak fire season. The 2026 season — in which the nation has recorded 62,738 fires burning more than 9 million acres — has added new urgency to those calls.