FIRELINEFIRELINE The official publication of the National Wildfire Suppression AssociationThe official publication of the National Wildfire Suppression Association Summer 2026Summer 2026 U.S. Wildland Fire Service Wildfire Governance The Delivers a New Era forThe National Wildfire Suppression Association 5 Table 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. Please return all undeliverable addresses to: PO Box 41270 1450 Vassar Street Reno, NV 89504 Toll Free Tel: (866) 999-1299 Toll Free Fax: (866) 244-2544 www.matrixgroupinc.net President & CEO Jack Andress Operations Manager Shoshana Weinberg sweinberg@matrixgroupinc.net Senior Publisher Jessica Potter jpotter@matrixgroupinc.net Publishers Julie Welsh, Christine Scarisbrick Editor-in-Chief Shannon Savory ssavory@matrixgroupinc.net Editor/Social Media Manager Paul Adair, Jenna Collignon, Kaitlin Vitt, Richard Cowan Finance/Accounting & Administration Lloyd Weinberg, Nathan Redekop Director of Circulation & Distribution Lloyd Weinberg distribution@matrixgroupinc.net Sales Manager Jeff Cash jcash@matrixgroupinc.net Matrix Group Publishing Inc. 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, Brian MacIntyre, Raine Marchese, Chad Morris, Lynn Murphy, Monique Simons, Cheri Wiesner Advertising Design James Robinson Layout & Design Kayti McDonald ©2026 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. Up Front 07 A Message from the NWSA President, Jess Wills 08 The Role of the National Wildfire Suppression Association in Wildland Fire & Emergency Incident Support 09 NWSA Sponsorship Opportunities NWSA Insider 25 Meet NWSA’s Members 31 Meet NWSA’s Instructors 32 NWSA’s Corporate Sponsors 33 Tools of the Trade 34 Index to Advertisers Features 11 The U.S. Wildland Fire Service Delivers a New Era for Wildfire Governance 13 Capacity, Coordination, and the New Normal for the Pacific Northwest 16 The Evolving Role of EMS on the Line 21 Fire Chief Brian Fennessy: A Familiar Face at a New Place 23 Inside Oregon’s Wildfire Engine: How OSFM Helps Coordinate the System On the cover: The newly created U.S. Wildland Fire Service is reshaping how readiness, response, and long-term resilience are aligned under a singular unified operational vision. Photo courtesy of Kyle Miller, Wyoming Hotshots, USFS.The National Wildfire Suppression Association 7 Up Front A Message from the NWSA President, Jess Wills Jess Wills NWSA President A hearty hello to all members and partners of the National Wildfire Suppression Association (NWSA). Our recent National Conference in Reno, Nevada, brought our largest turnout to date – and having top leadership from the U.S. Forest Service and state agencies in the room said something about where this industry stands. The dialogue was substantive and the partnerships were visible. The changes happening today within the agencies are real, and we know they’ve created disruption for our partners on the ground. We’re watching closely, staying engaged, and looking for every opportunity to strengthen what works. I am optimistic about seeing these changes bring our partnership with the agencies closer together than ever before. I want to make one thing very clear: the NWSA and its members are ready to help, and our more than 300 member organizations and tens of thousands of trained personnel are ready for when the agencies need us. It doesn’t matter how the agencies are structured or what the new logo on the door may look like, our job is to provide the most professional fire suppression and support services possible. We are prepared to work with the agencies through the evolution we are seeing and support them by standing ready to answer the call when it comes. As changes happen in our nation’s capital, the NWSA remains active. We are making sure your voice is heard, both at the national level and directly with the agencies’ leadership. We want to ensure that, as the government restructures, they don’t lose sight of the value our members and the private industry bring to the table. There’s still work ahead for us to do but, after seeing everyone together in Reno, I’m confident we’re well positioned to meet the challenge. Rest assured that we will keep pushing to ensure this industry is understood, valued, and included in whatever comes next. Thank you for your continued support and for everything you do out on the line or in camp. Stay safe. � We are making sure your voice is heard, both at the national level and directly with the agencies’ leadership. We want to ensure that, as the government restructures, they don’t lose sight of the value our members and the private industry bring to the table. Solid Partners Through Changing Times If you would like to have FIRELINE mailed directly to your home or office, email ssavory@matrixgroupinc.net to be added to the mailing list. NWSA members are eligible to receive this publication for free! Please reach out as well, if you would like to adjust your current mailing details. Receive FIRELINE for free!8 www.nwsa.us 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 The Role of the National Wildfire Suppression Association in Wildland Fire and Emergency Incident Support 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 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 >