WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) introduced the bipartisan Aerial Firefighting Enhancement Act of 2025 to strengthen the aerial wildfire suppression fleet and better combat the year-round threat of catastrophic wildfire.
“I have worked for years to expand the operations of Very Large Air Tankers that have proven absolutely essential to firefighters battling large wildfires in New Mexico, Los Angeles, and across the West. This includes securing more than $15 million to upgrade the Cibola National Forest Air Tanker Base in Albuquerque so that it can support and refuel the most effective firefighting planes that make the most difference for firefighters on the ground by dropping larger loads of fire retardant on blazes,” said Heinrich. “I’m proud to partner with Senator Sheehy on this bipartisan legislation that will help aerial wildfire firefighting contractors continue purchasing excess equipment from the military to support their heavy aircraft. I will never stop fighting to deliver the resources New Mexico needs to effectively respond to wildfires.”
“As a former Navy SEAL and the only aerial firefighter in the Senate, I understand government’s most solemn duty is to keep the American people safe. Combatting the threat of catastrophic wildfires is a year-round mission, and we must ensure our aerial wildfire suppression fleet has the resources needed to protect our communities. I’m proud to lead this bipartisan effort to help our brave first responders fight wildfires better, faster, and stronger by streamlining wildland firefighting efforts and removing outdated bureaucratic obstacles to getting the job done,” said Sheehy.
The Aerial Firefighting Enhancement Act amends the Wildfire Suppression Aircraft Transfer Act of 1996 to reauthorize the sale of excess aircraft and parts by the Department of Defense for wildfire suppression. The bill will help the U.S. better suppress wildfires year-round by facilitating the acquisition of military excess aircraft, sold at fair market value, for the aerial wildfire suppression fleet. Additionally, the sale of parts will help the U.S. maintain its existing aerial firefighting aircraft fleet.
The bill reauthorizes the Secretary of Defense’s authority to sell excess Department of Defense aircraft and aircraft parts, which are acceptable for commercial sale, to persons or entities that contract with the government for the delivery of fire retardant or water by air to suppress wildfires, as long as the aircraft and parts are used only for wildfire suppression. The initial authority expired in 2005 and was reauthorized from 2012 to 2017 before lapsing again.
Read more on the bill here.
Heinrich’s Support for Aerial Firefighting
Heinrich has long worked to expand and improve aerial firefighting operations in New Mexico to more effectively fight wildfires. In 2022, Heinrich secured more than $15 million to upgrade the Cibola National Forest Air Tanker Base at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque. Those upgrades were completed in 2024 – a major milestone that makes it possible to support and refuel Very Large Air Tanker planes that can drop large volumes of fire retardant on blazes.
In an op-ed published in the Albuquerque Journal, Col. Mike Power, Kirtland Air Force Base Installation Commander, highlighted the importance of these newly completed upgrades at the Cibola National Forest Air Tanker Base that will help the U.S. Forest Service fight wildfires in New Mexico more efficiently and effectively. one of only two bases in the United States with that capability.
“This base upgrade, where now up to 30 Forest Service professionals work to lead the fight against wildfires, includes the larger ramp space for a stronger, more efficient capability to fight wildfires in New Mexico year-round. It now also houses a retardant tank farm,” said Col. Power in the op-ed. “What does that mean to the average New Mexican? It means 75,000 gallons of retardant available at one time, and cuts response time to a fire in half. Ours is one of only two bases in the United States with that capability.”
Heinrich’s Continued Leadership on Wildfire Recovery
Heinrich remains focused on delivering the resources New Mexico needs to effectively respond to wildfires and prevent future devastating blazes by restoring the health and resilience of our forests and watersheds.
Heinrich is keeping up the effort to do right by the New Mexico families whose lives were upended by the 2022 Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire. As communities continue to rebuild, Heinrich will keep working to deliver for every person impacted by that fire and the floods that followed.
Heinrich, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), and U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) successfully secured an additional $1.5 billion to help New Mexicans recover from the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire within the Continuing Resolution that Congress passed in December.
The Continuing Resolution also extended the period that victims may file claims with the Hermit’s Peak Claims Office to March 14, 2025. The lawmakers are continuing to call for the passage of their Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Claims Extension Act, legislation they introduced last year to extend the period a victim can file a claim with the Hermit’s Peak Claims Office through the end of 2027.
The New Mexico Congressional Delegation has now secured a total of $5.45 billion in federal resources to help New Mexicans recover and rebuild since the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire.
In November, Heinrich, Luján, and Leger Fernández announced that President Biden’s disaster supplemental request included transfer authority for $1.5 billion to help New Mexicans recover from the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire. Heinrich, Luján, and Leger Fernández also sent a letter urging the FEMA Director of the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Claims Office and the FEMA Director of the New Mexico Joint Recovery Office to address concerns from New Mexicans about the process for receiving compensationfrom the Claims Office and help families get the relief and compensation needed to recover.
Additional information on Heinrich’s leadership on Hermit’’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire Response and Recovery can be found here.
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