APCIA Advocates for the Fix Our Forests Act

The American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA) recently testified on Capitol Hill in support of the Fix Our Forests Act, a crucial piece of legislation aimed at addressing the escalating threat of wildfires across the United States.

Introduced by Representatives Bruce Westerman (R-Ariz.) and Scott Peters (D-Calif.), the Fix Our Forests Act gained momentum following the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles in January 2025. The House passed the bill, and a revised version, S. 1462, was subsequently approved by a Senate committee last October.

This legislation prioritizes the treatment of forests that are at the highest risk of wildfire, while also coordinating grant programs aimed at community mitigation efforts. Additionally, it promotes research focused on wildfire resilience and land management practices, and supports the adoption of fire-resistant building methods, codes, and standards.

“Wildfire events impacting communities have grown in severity and number over the past several years, and Congress must act to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires in the U.S.,” stated Robert Gordon, APCIA’s senior vice president of policy, research, and international, during his testimony before the House Subcommittee on Federal Lands Oversight.

Gordon emphasized the need for a robust federal framework that accelerates risk reduction, strengthens the resilience of built environments, and enhances the tools available to agencies for anticipating and responding to extreme fire conditions. “The Fix Our Forests Act would help break the cycle of increasingly destructive fires by supporting community-scale mitigation, advancing modern technology, and reducing fuel loads that turn small ignitions into catastrophic events,” he added.

As of early January, insurance payments related to the LA wildfires had reached approximately $22.4 billion. The final tally of insured losses from these wildfires is estimated to be between $30 billion and $40 billion. Other states, including Colorado, North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, and Hawaii, have also experienced costly fires in recent years. Gordon noted that wildfire losses over the last decade have been more than five times higher than in previous decades, with eight of the ten costliest U.S. wildfires occurring since 2017. The risk is intensifying due to “man-made and natural environmental conditions” that make many regions more susceptible to wildfires.

Last October, Jimi Grande, senior vice president of federal and political affairs for the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies, remarked, “The risk of wildfire can no longer be ignored or underestimated. We need action to start addressing it, and the Fix Our Forests Act is a vital step in doing so.”

The American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA) recently testified on Capitol Hill in support of the Fix Our Forests Act, a crucial piece of legislation aimed at addressing the escalating threat of wildfires across the United States.

Introduced by Representatives Bruce Westerman (R-Ariz.) and Scott Peters (D-Calif.), the Fix Our Forests Act gained momentum following the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles in January 2025. The House passed the bill, and a revised version, S. 1462, was subsequently approved by a Senate committee last October.

This legislation prioritizes the treatment of forests that are at the highest risk of wildfire, while also coordinating grant programs aimed at community mitigation efforts. Additionally, it promotes research focused on wildfire resilience and land management practices, and supports the adoption of fire-resistant building methods, codes, and standards.

“Wildfire events impacting communities have grown in severity and number over the past several years, and Congress must act to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires in the U.S.,” stated Robert Gordon, APCIA’s senior vice president of policy, research, and international, during his testimony before the House Subcommittee on Federal Lands Oversight.

Gordon emphasized the need for a robust federal framework that accelerates risk reduction, strengthens the resilience of built environments, and enhances the tools available to agencies for anticipating and responding to extreme fire conditions. “The Fix Our Forests Act would help break the cycle of increasingly destructive fires by supporting community-scale mitigation, advancing modern technology, and reducing fuel loads that turn small ignitions into catastrophic events,” he added.

As of early January, insurance payments related to the LA wildfires had reached approximately $22.4 billion. The final tally of insured losses from these wildfires is estimated to be between $30 billion and $40 billion. Other states, including Colorado, North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, and Hawaii, have also experienced costly fires in recent years. Gordon noted that wildfire losses over the last decade have been more than five times higher than in previous decades, with eight of the ten costliest U.S. wildfires occurring since 2017. The risk is intensifying due to “man-made and natural environmental conditions” that make many regions more susceptible to wildfires.

Last October, Jimi Grande, senior vice president of federal and political affairs for the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies, remarked, “The risk of wildfire can no longer be ignored or underestimated. We need action to start addressing it, and the Fix Our Forests Act is a vital step in doing so.”