FIRELINEFIRELINE The official publication of the National Wildfire Suppression AssociationThe official publication of the National Wildfire Suppression Association Winter 2026Winter 2026 NAVIGATING THE NEW RULES: What Federal Contractors Need to Know About Acquisition UpdatesTable of Contents Published for: The National Wildfire Suppression Association Physical Address: 228 SW Broadway Mill City, OR 97360 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 169 Mill City, OR 97360 Executive Director: Debbie Miley Tel: (877) 676-6972 Direct Line: (503) 897-6150 Published by: Matrix Group Publishing Inc. 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Account Executives Ana Baez, Colleen Bell, Jackie Casburn, Chandler Cousins, Paolo Cruz, Rob Gibson, Wilma Gray-Rose, Jim Hamilton, Craig Hornell, Frank Kenyeres, Brendan Kidney, Sandra Kirby, Andrew Lee, Ian MacGregor, Brian MacIntyre, Chad Morris, Lynn Murphy, Monique Simons Advertising Design James Robinson Layout & Design Kayti McDonald ©2025 Matrix Group Publishing Inc. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Matrix Group Publishing Inc. Printed in Canada. Photo courtesy of Grayback Forestry. Up Front 07 A Message from the NWSA President, Claren Nilsson 09 The Role of the National Wildfire Suppression Association in Wildland Fire & Emergency Incident Support 10 Save the Date for NWSA’s 2026 Annual Conference 11 NWSA Sponsorship Opportunities NWSA Insider 30 Meet NWSA’s Members 36 Meet NWSA’s Instructors 37 NWSA’s Corporate Sponsors 37 Tools of the Trade 38 Index to Advertisers Features 12 Navigating the New Rules: What Federal Contractors Need to Know About Acquisition Updates 14 Balancing Cost and Value with LPTA and EERA 16 NWSA Trains Wildfire Readiness in Chile 17 Heat, Drought, and Fuel Loads – 2025 in Review 19 Waking Up from Alert Fatigue 24 Veterans on the Line On the cover: The Hughes Fire burning along Lake Hughes Road. The Hughes fire was just one of many wildfires impacting the Southern California area in the early part of 2025, which saw increased wildfire activity due to lack of precipitation and Santa Ana winds. Photo courtesy of USDA Forest Service / Andrew Avitt.The National Wildfire Suppression Association 7 Up Front Claren Nisson NWSA President There are seasons that remind us of who we are. This was one of them. The 2025 season brought every kind of challenge to members of the National Wildfire Suppression Association (NWSA) – some companies were pushed to the edge, while others waited for work that never came. Engines sat fueled and idling. Crews checked gear again and again, not knowing when or if the call would come. The uncertainty was heavy, and it tested everyone in different ways. The government shutdown only compounded those pressures. Plans were delayed and uncertainty prevailed, but the work continued. People kept equipment in shape, held their crews together, and carried on with the patience this profession demands. They did it all without recognition because our mission leaves no space for hesitation. Now we face another transition. The new Federal Acquisition Regulations (FARs) will change how we work with our federal partners. They promise improvement, although time will show how well that promise holds. We will remain engaged, we will adapt, and we will make sure that the reality of fieldwork is understood by those who depend on it. The strength of our profession has never come from policy: it comes from experience earned in long seasons, from judgment formed on the ground, and from the determination to be ready when called. Those qualities endure no matter how the rules evolve. Hope is not a plan. For us, success comes through the daily work of preparation, dedication, and having conviction that service still matters. It lives in the maintenance bay, in the training yard, and in the quiet hours when we prepare ourselves for what is coming next. The 2025 season tested our endurance but it did not break us. The private wildland fire service remains strong because its people remain strong. Whatever comes next, NWSA will face it as we always have: together, steady in purpose, capable in action, and certain of who we are. � Through Challenge and Change ABOVE: NWSA board of directors and supporters. Left to right: Colby Marshall, Jess Wills, Rick Dice, Mike Wheelock, Claren Nillson, Kelli Matthews, David Spady. FAR LEFT: David Spady and U.S. Senator Tim Sheehy. LEFT: NWSA Board Member, Mike Wheelock visited the Wildland Firefighters Monument. MEMORIES FROM THE WILDLAND FIREFIGHTER FOUNDATION ASHES TO HOPE FUNDRAISING GALA IN BOISE, IDAHO.The National Wildfire Suppression Association 9 Up Front Thirty-five years ago, a group of private contractors were approached by the agencies with a suggestion that perhaps the private industry needed a united voice when dealing with them on contract and training issues. Out of that, the National Wildfire Suppression Association (NWSA) was formed in 1991 at a meeting of 10 companies in Reno, Nevada. Their mission was to provide a voice for the professional private fire services. Braving the smoke, heat, and danger of wildland fires, as well as the aftermath of other national disasters, is a multitude of federal, state, and local agencies. When the magnitude of the event exceeds their available resources, these agencies can call in reinforcements from the professional private fire services through pre-existing agreements and contracts. Today, the NWSA represents 375 private firefighting companies in 21 states, as well as Canada and Australia. We can field a workforce of over 12,000 trained firefighters, as well as a large contingency of equipment, during the height of wildfire season. These folks provide resources that include water handling resources, heavy equipment, faller modules, 20-person hand crews, and other specialized resources that complement the toolbox of resources the agencies have for wildland fire response. Today, approximately 45 percent of all fire resources are provided by the professional private fire services. When lives are on the line, the agencies must have confidence in all the resources that are part of the fire community. Since 1991, the mission of the NWSA has been to ensure that its members earn that confidence. NWSA advocacy includes working as a cooperator in the wildland fire services to build positive relationships with agency partners, and to advocate for professionalism within the industry, as well as providing an exchange of information on issues related to the industry. Why is there a need for the private professional contract fire services? It was started in the 1980s during an era of shrinking agency budgets, and a growing The Role of the National Wildfire Suppression Association in Wildland Fire and Emergency Incident Support number of large fires. By the end of the 1990s, these events led to the first hand-crew agreement between private wildland fire services and the agencies. NWSA has built many working relationships with the federal, state, and local governments as well as national and state politicians, and prides itself on working to resolve issues of concern to create a better working environment for all parties. Not only do NWSA members provide resources for wildfire response, but they also perform a lot of project work for wildfire recovery and wildfire mitigation. NWSA has long held onto the value of protecting the forest through mitigation work rather than protection by wildfire suppression efforts and the industry stands ready to perform that work not only for agency partners, but for many landowners as well. The majority of NWSA member companies are located in rural America and provide family wage jobs to folks in their areas. Most of their employees live, play, and work in these forests and therefore, they have a personal stake in helping to protect these landscapes and take a strong sense of pride in their accomplishments. � Along with providing wildfire response, the NWSA protects forests across the country through its various mitigation efforts.Next >