A resolution recognizing that climate change is making wildfires more frequent, more intense, and more destructive.

Senate Resolution

S.Res. 559

119th Congress

A resolution recognizing that climate change is making wildfires more frequent, more intense, and more destructive.

In Committee

Introduced:Dec 17, 2025

Primary Sponsor

Sheldon Whitehouse

D - RI

Cosponsors

10

Quick Stats

Summary

This Senate resolution formally recognizes that climate change is making wildfires more frequent, intense, and destructive. It cites NASA findings that human-caused climate change is the main cause of increasing fire weather in the American West, notes the fire season has extended from 4 months to 6-8 months, and references the January 2025 Los Angeles fires that destroyed 15,000+ structures.

Latest Action

Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

AI Summary

Plain-English explanation of this bill

This Senate resolution formally recognizes that climate change is making wildfires more frequent, intense, and destructive. It cites NASA findings that human-caused climate change is the main cause of increasing fire weather in the American West, notes the fire season has extended from 4 months to 6-8 months, and references the January 2025 Los Angeles fires that destroyed 15,000+ structures.

Last updated: 12/26/2025

Key Points

Main provisions of the bill

NASA: human-caused climate change is main cause of increasing fire weather in West
Forest Service: fire season extended from 4 months to 6-8 months
Worldwide extreme wildfire activity has more than doubled in 2 decades
Wildfires cost U.S. $424 billion annually (excluding health impacts)
January 2025 LA fires destroyed 15,000+ homes/businesses, killed 24+ people
Study confirmed climate change meaningfully increased LA fire likelihood

How This Impacts Americans

Potential effects on citizens and communities

This resolution affects wildfire-prone communities (particularly in California, the West, and increasingly nationwide), the Forest Service, FEMA, fire departments, and insurance markets. It supports full funding for federal wildfire prevention and response. Homeowners in wildfire risk areas face implicit recognition of increasing danger. Insurance companies pricing fire risk receive congressional acknowledgment of climate-driven trends. The LA fires are specifically cited as evidence of escalating impacts.

Policy Areas

No policy areas assigned yet.

Scope & Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction Level

federal

Congressional Session

119th Congress

Citation Reference

559, 119th Congress (2025). "A resolution recognizing that climate change is making wildfires more frequent, more intense, and more destructive.". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/119-sres-559