Huber-Stearns, HeidiEllison, AutumnMolden, OliviaNeafie, JessicaMoseley, Cassandra2016-10-312016-10-312016https://hdl.handle.net/1794/205662 pagesFederal agencies are increasingly relying on contracts to respond to wildfire. Although present since the 1970s, private equipment contractors have come to play an important role following extreme fire seasons in the 1990s. Understanding how these businesses operate and provide equipment for suppression work is critical for ensuring that sufficient and efficient resources are available for wildfire suppression when it is needed. In this research, we investigated the types of businesses that contract equipment for federal fire suppression in the Pacific Northwest, and the strategies they use to both meet unpredictable demand and remain profitable.en-USCreative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0-USWildfires--Prevention and control--Contracting outOther