June 11, 2026 2:50 a.m. 

On Wednesday, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and U.S. Representative Josh Harder of California, reintroduced the Wildfire Smoke Emergency Declaration Act.

A release said it is legislation to help communities respond to dangerous wildfire smoke or smoke events. Merkley and Harder, said the bicameral bill would create a federal framework for smoke emergencies, unlock resources to protect public health, support small businesses, and help communities to weather worsening wildfire seasons.

Merkley said, “Wildfire smoke threatens people’s health, disrupts daily life, and shows just how devastating wildfire disasters can be. As climate chaos fuels more severe wildfires, it’s essential that communities have the tools and resources they need to protect health and save lives”.

The Wildfire Smoke Emergency Declaration Act would:

*Enable the president to declare a “smoke emergency” when wildfire smoke creates hazardous air quality conditions.

*Make assistance available through the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help states and local communities establish smoke shelters, deploy air purifiers, and expand air-quality monitoring sites during declared smoke emergencies.

*Allow the Small Business Administration to provide grants to small businesses that suffer significant revenue losses due to wildfire smoke.

The legislation is cosponsored by Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff of California and Oregon’s Ron Wyden.