b'STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE THREE Wildland fires are a continuing and growing problem in the United States and globally which must be solved by using all resources and technologies available. Our nation continues to experience devastating wildland fires that result in the horrific loss of civilian and firefighter lives, property, and natural resources. The United States fire and emergency services must be better supported and equipped to prevent, contain, and suppress wildland fires. Fire departments rely on local, state, tribal, and federal assets to complete the mission of extinguishing all types of fires. There is an overwhelming need to increase the support, technology, research, best practices, and resources to complete this mission. Improvements by providing additional personnel, apparatus, equipment, aviation, and ground support resources are desperately needed to continue to engage in fighting campaign wildfires. Wildland fire is a global problem. The United States fire and emergency services must use the lessons shared by the global community and likewise share our lessons and solutions.BackgroundAccording to the Congressional Research Service 3 , Wildfires are unplanned fires, including lightning-caused fires, unauthorized human-caused fires, and escaped prescribed fire projects. States are responsible for responding to wildfires that begin on non-federal (state, local, and private) lands, except for lands protected by federal agencies under cooperative agreements. The federal government is responsible for responding to wildfires that begin on federal lands. The Forest Service within the U.S. Department of Agriculture carries out wildfire management and response across the 193 million acres of the National Forest System. The Department of the Interior (DOI) manages wildfire response for more than 400 million acres of national parks, wildlife refuges and preserves, other public lands, and Indian reservations.Wildfire statistics help to illustrate past U.S. wildfire activity. Nationwide data compiled by the National Interagency Coordination Center indicates that the number of annual wildfires is variable but has decreased slightly over the9'