By Aidan Mortensen | KOAL News
A piece of legislation from freshman Congressional Rep. Mike Kennedy creating a wildfire research institute at Utah State University has passed the House, putting the measure one step closer to being implemented in the state.
The Utah Wildfire Research Institute Act of 2025, “mandates the establishment of an additional institute focused on forest health and wildfire prevention in the State of Utah.”
“This bipartisan bill creates a wildfire research institute at Utah State University focused on preventing wildfires, improving forest and rangeland management, and strengthening long-term resilience across Utah,” said Rep. Kennedy. “By investing in proactive research and proven best practices, we can protect Utah families, strengthen our forests, and ease the burden on the first responders.”
I’m proud to announce that the Utah Wildfire Research Institute Act has passed the House.
This bipartisan bill creates a wildfire research institute at Utah State University focused on preventing wildfires, improving forest and rangeland management, and strengthening long-term… pic.twitter.com/2ajaM0fiGc
— Rep. Mike Kennedy, M.D. (@RepMikeKennedy) December 16, 2025
This bill comes after a summer in which wildfires ravaged Utah, including the Deer Creek Fire in San Juan County, which falls within Kennedy’s district.
The legislation was cosponsored by the other members of Utah’s congressional delegation, Burgess Owners, Celeste Maloy and Blake Moore
“This is a meaningful step toward smarter, more responsible wildfire prevention for Utah and the West,” stated Kennedy.
The bill now advances to the Senate for further consideration.