National Wildland Fire Conference
April 24-26, 2026
North County San Diego, CA
Welcome Message from Co-Hosts
Welcome to the National Wildland Fire Conference website. We are proud to help lead this important gathering, which has grown over the last 20 years into a vital forum for professionals addressing the evolving challenges of wildland fire.
What began as a focused legal event has expanded into a national, multidisciplinary platform bringing together attorneys, experts, insurers, utilities, government officials, policy makers, and academians. This community plays a critical role in shaping how we understand, manage, and respond to wildland fires across the country. The efforts towards wildfire risk mitigation and resiliency are critical for our society.
Each year, the conference offers expert panels, CLE opportunities, and meaningful dialogue that drives real-world impact. We’re excited to share that some of the presentations under consideration are world wide wildfires and standardizing investigations, new technologies like the UCSD alert program, the politics of the wildfire arena, mass tort litigation movements and resolutions, and developments in vegetation management and TRAQ, and much more.
We invite you to be part of our 2026 event in Oceanside, California, as we continue this legacy of collaboration and innovation.
2025 National Wildland Fire Conference
A Powerful Gathering of Ideas, Innovation, and Collaboration
The 2025 National Wildland Fire Conference was a landmark event, bringing together more than 250 professionals from across the country to tackle some of the most pressing issues in wildland fire.
Hosted in beautiful Monterey, California, the conference drew a diverse and engaged audience, including representatives from government agencies, academic institutions, consultancies, experts, utility companies, insurance providers, and law firms spanning regulatory, litigation, and alternative dispute resolution practices.
Highlights from the 2025 Conference
Broad and Diverse Attendance
Over 250 attendees from across sectors and disciplines came together to collaborate, learn, and shape the future of wildland fire policy and response.
Thought-Provoking Speakers
The program featured 17 expert panelists, along with inspiring opening remarks from Monterey Mayor Tyller Williamson and Vice Mayor Gino Garcia.
Keynote speaker Patrick Schwerdtfeger, a leading business futurist, delivered a talk on the transformative power of artificial intelligence—highlighting the disruptions and opportunities AI presents across industries, including the wildland fire space.
MCLE Credit Across 17 States
The conference offered continuing legal education (CLE) credits approved by state bars in California (pending), Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Texas, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Montana, Hawaii, Illinois, Georgia, Florida, and New York.
National Wildland Fire Conference 2026
Mark Your Calendars:
We’re excited to announce that the 2026 National Wildland Fire Conference will take place on the beautiful beachfront of North County San Diego, hosted at the stunning new Seabird Resort and Mission Pacific Hotel in Oceanside.
This premier event will feature a dynamic and engaging program focused on the latest in wildland fire science, strategy, and collaboration. Want a sneak peek? Click on the video to the right for breathtaking views of their beautiful venue!
We are proud to announce the return of STENO Court Reporting as the 2026 NWFC Platinum Sponsor, also the return of Case Anywhere, JAMS, Western Wildfire Associates and Signature Resolution as our Gold Sponsors, and Jensen-Hughes as our Silver Sponsor.
Thank you for your continued support and partnership!
