HOTSHOT CREW HISTORY IN AMERICA

APPROVED AND SUPPORTED BY THE NATIONAL HOTSHOT CREW STEERING COMMITTEE, December 2022

Alaska

The first Alaska Bureau of Land Management seasonal fire crew was started by Anchorage District in 1974. Named the Anchorage Hotshots*, crew size was set at sixteen members to meet the carrying capacity of the Twin Otter airplane (due to lack of roads, crew transport primarily consisted of fixed and rotor wing aircraft). The crew was intended to be the first reinforcement for Initial Attack forces. In 1976, another crew was formed at the same location. Both crews were moved to Kenai in 1979, on the peninsula southwest of Anchorage. The two crews were known as the Red and Black crews due to the red or black stripes on their hardhats.

Seeing the value of a dependable organized crew for fire reinforcement as well as a hiring pool for the primary initial attack forces (Helitack and Smokejumpers), the Alaska Bureau of Land Management decided to increase their Hotshot* crew program. From 1981 to 1982, Alaska BLM stationed Hotshot* crews in Kenai, McGrath (located on the Kuskokwim River in Southwest Alaska), Tanacross (located on the Alaska Highway near the border of Canada's Yukon Territory), and Fairbanks (Interior Alaska).

The Alaska Fire Service was established in 1982, which shifted wildfire management responsibilities from the BLM Districts and provided firefighting services to all Federal, Native, and some State of Alaska lands north of the Alaska Range. By this time there were only two seasonal BLM fire crews (Hotshot* crew #1 & #2), both based at Ft. Wainwright, an Army base located on the outskirts of Fairbanks Alaska. When in Fairbanks, the crews lived in military barracks and ate meals at the BLM mess hall. During the fire season, the crews were often temporarily relocated to bush station.

In 1985, the decision was made to convert the Alaska Fire Service Hotshot* crews to Interagency Type 1 status. Efforts were made to develop stability in the Hotshot program and ensure that the Alaska Fire Service Hotshots met all agency and interagency goals and standards. At that time, Fairbanks Hotshot* Crews #1 & #2 were renamed Chena IHC and Midnight Sun IHC.

The Alaska fire season normally starts and ends earlier than in the Western States. At the conclusion of the Alaska fire season, the Chena and Midnight Sun Hotshots head down to the lower 48 for fire assignments. Both crews currently keep their crew vehicles and miscellaneous firefighting supplies at NIFC. While in the lower 48, they are dispatched through the Alaska Interagency Coordination Center and are not attached to a specific geographic area. They generally stay in the lower 48 until there is no longer a critical need for IHC's.

A 1998 agreement between Chugachmuit Native Corporation and the Alaska Bureau of Land Management created a third hotshot crew to be managed under the Alaska Fire Service Hotshot Program. The Denali Hotshots, also stationed at Ft. Wainwright, were active between 1998 and 2007. All Denali IHC Superintendents were former Chena IHC or Midnight Sun IHC members.

The Hotshot Program has remained an integral and highly valued component of the Alaska Fire Service as well as one of its most visible. The program and its members continue to serve their mission well and are proud of their achievements.

*Though the pre-1985 crews were referred to as "Hotshots", they actually met Category 2 (later Type2) standards.

Chena

Year(s)	Superintendent
1985-1988	Jon Larson
1989	Steve Bumgarner
1990-1993	Skip Theisen
1994	Mike Powell, Mike Theisen
1995	Skip Theisen
1996-1999	Mike Theisen
1999-2000	Shane McDonald
2001-2003	Pat O’Brien
2004-2007	Jake Livingston
2008-2013	Chris Marabetta
2014-2018	Oded Shalom
2019-Present	Iris Sager

Midnight Sun

Year(s)	Superintendent
1985	David Lockwood
1986-1988	Jerry Soard
1989-1992	Dave Jandt
1992-1997	Dave Matier
1998	Shane McDonald
1999-2007	Dave Matier
2008	Cory Swisher
2009-2010	Dave Matier
2010-2014	Jake Livingston
2015-2017	Chris Demers
2018-2019	Chase Maness
2020-Present	Miles Bond

Denali

Year(s)	Superintendent
1998	Larry Nolan
1999	Pat O’Brien
2000-2004	Lawrence Moses
2005-2006	Ray Crowe
2007	Steve Boatman

Pioneer Peak

Year(s)	Superintendent
2003-2006	Jeff Ennenga (Pioneer Peak T2IA & Regional Type 1)
2007-2015	Matt Jones (2007 Type 1, 2008-2015 IHC)
2016	Jon Glover
2017-Present	Kris Baumgartner

Sacrifice. Service. Old School.

Pioneer Peak IHC is a State of Alaska DNR crew stationed in Palmer Alaska. The crew started in the 1980's as a call up emergency firefighting crew and were known as the Mat Su Ridge Runners. Eventually they were just called the Mat Su Crew and were only emergency hired when fire danger was high enough. The beginnings of Pioneer Peak Hotshots start in 1996 when the Millers Reach fire burned 37,000 acres and destroyed 344 structures. It's still the worst Urban Interface fire in Alaskan History and that fire made it clear to Fire Management Officers that they needed an organized Wildland Fire Crew in the heavily populated and fast growing Mat-Su Valley. In 2001 Wes Stevens became the Crew Boss and the Mat Su Crew started receiving funding to have a crew available all summer. Jeff Ennenga took over the crew in 2003 and in 2004 they became a Type 2IA Crew and changed the name to Pioneer Peak. In 2005 the crew received the "Regional Type 1" status and in 2007 Matt Jones took over as Superintendent and they became an IHC training crew. Matt brought his extensive knowledge from running the now disbanded Tazlina Hotshots and started building the culture that defines Pioneer Peak to this day. In the Spring of 2008 Pioneer Peak earned the Interagency Hotshot Crew status becoming one of only two State sponsored IHC Crews in the Nation. We pride ourselves in operating with an old-school work ethic that encompasses the raw toughness and strong mental attitude established by the Hotshot Crews before us.

Eastern Area

Midewin

Year(s)	Superintendent
2001	Steve Little (detailed)
2002	Dave Martin (detailed), Lito Contreras (detailed), Michael Frederick
2003	Rich Stiles (detailed), Russell Harris (detailed), Gordon Admundson (detailed)
2004	Lito Contreras
2005-2007	Bob Little
2007-?	Jerry Hoffman (detailed)
2009-2010	Rick Moreno
2012-Present	Jerry Hoffman

The Midewin (mi-day-win) IHC was established in April of 2001 as a result of the National Fire Plan.

The Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie in Wilmington, IL (the crew's host unit) was established in 1996 and is the first national tallgrass prairie in the country. It is administered by the U.S. Forest Service and with the support of hundreds of volunteers and partner agencies, businesses, and organizations.

The crew is the only IHC in Region 9 of the US Forest Service.

The first employees arrived in July of 2001 and the crew was operational by early August. Due to the late start, the crew was only on two assignments in 2001, the Rex Creek wildfire in Washington and the World Trade Center Relief Effort in New York City. The Midewin IHC received the Forest Service Chief's award for emergency assistance for the work performed in New York. The crew was temporarily based in 3 trailers at the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie. The crew moved into our current facilities in October of 2004.

2004 was an extremely difficult season for the Midewin IHC. On April 24rd Alan Toepke was fatally injured in an off-duty traffic accident while returning from a fire assignment in Florida. The crew stood down for 2 ½ months but was able to finish the season strong with several good assignments in July through September. During the stand down the majority of the crew traveled to the Superior National Forest for a 30 day detail for initial attack and fuels management projects. At the time of the accident the crew was pursuing its certification as a fully qualified IHC.

The crew was certified as a fully qualified Interagency Hotshot Crew on July 30th, 2006 while assigned to the Cavity Lake fire on the Superior National Forest.

The crew is typically operational from early March till early September. Generally, the crew begins the season by supporting initial attack efforts and prescribed fire east of the Mississippi River before heading west. The crew has been able to establish a reputation of being a hard working crew that spends most of the time away from the host unit.

Great Basin

Alta

Year(s)	Superintendent
2014-2018	Wade Snyder
2019-2021	Jesse Trembly
2022-Present	Tyler Carruth

The Alta Hotshots were officially certified as an Interagency Hotshot Crew on June 13th, 2014. Earning Type 1 status followed a four-year journey consisting of peer evaluations, an embedded review with an ex-hotshot Superintendent and finally an extensive certification review. The origins of the Alta Hotshots date back to 2003 as the UFRA Type 2 crew. The UFRA crew was initially created as an agreement between Utah Valley University (UVU) and the State of Utah. The crew's intent was to provide work experience and a learning platform in the wildland fire environment for students participating in wildland fire suppression courses through UVU. In 2007 the crew gained the qualifications and experience necessary to move up to status as a Type 2 Initial Attack crew. After a couple of successful years and retention in critical overhead positions, it was decided in 2010 to begin the process of building UFRA into an Interagency Hotshot Crew.

With the decision to build UFRA into a Hotshot Crew in 2010, the crew's focus started to swing from an internship platform for UVU students to a highly reliable professional fire suppression resource. With this change of focus the crew reached far and wide to bring in a core group of firefighters to help obtain the lofty goal set forth. In 2012 it was determined that if the crew was to obtain Type 1 status, that the UFRA Hotshots didn't quite sound right. It was decided that a name change would be necessary, the crew voted on a few options and Alta won the majority. With the name change a new logo was designed. Much thought and consideration went into the new logo and each detail has significance. The mountain range on the logo represents Devil's Castle which is a popular recreation spot near the town of Alta and the Wolverine on our logo represents our past relationship with Utah Valley University - as that is their mascot.

The Alta Hotshots continue to foster firefighter development and an engaging learning platform for qualified individuals both from the UVU wildland program and other wildland fire agencies. Ultimately, the Alta Hotshots will hire the most qualified applicants in order to staff a highly reliable and dependable Interagency Hotshot Crew. The crew generally starts mid-May and can be expected to go until the end of October. Throughout the season, Alta contributes to local project work to support state lands as well as providing a work force to adjacent federal agencies. Project work consists of but is not limited to: fuel reduction/fire prevention in the urban interface, constructing fuel breaks and contingency lines on state and federal lands, and prepping and burning RX units.

The Alta Hotshots currently reside at the Lone Peak Conservation Center (LPCC) located in Draper, UT. LPCC is unique given it's a state agency within the Department of Natural Resources under the Division of Forestry Fire and State Lands. Including the Alta Hotshots, it houses 2 Interagency Hotshot Crews, 2 Type 2 I.A Crews, and 2 Type 3 Engines.

Black Mountain

1989-2005	2006-present

Year(s)	Superintendent
1989-2005	Craig Workman
2005-2015	Matt Hoggard
2016	Matt Gill (detail)
2016	Jed Rudelbach (detail)
2017-Present	Pamela Messal

The Black Mountain Interagency Hotshot Crew was established in 1988 through the efforts of the Toiyabe National Forest's Fire Management officer, Stanley E. Fitzgerald. The crews first fire season was the summer of 1989. The crew name was suggested by Jennifer de Jung, a former employee of Stan's, because "Toiyabe" is translated as "Black Mountain" in the local (Piute) Native American Language. Late that same year Robert Craig Workman was hired as the first Superintendent. Craig recruited 2 formen and 2 squad leaders as well as the more time consuming work of equipping the crew with tools, nomex, training materials, line and camp gear. The crew vehicles did not arrive in the first year so the crew used the Forest Assistant Fire Management Officer's Suburban, plus two rental Suburbans and a surplus GSA pick-up.

Designs for the Black Mountain Crew Logo were solicited from employees on the forest. Jan Sanchez who worked in personnel management came up with the basis of the logo. It incorporated a stylized black outline of a mountain with an orange sun (setting or rising) and the Toiyabe National Forest logo of a man on a horse leading a pack string.

The Black Mountain IHC was first based at the Stewart Indian Colony in Carson City, Nevada (1989-1990) where barracks space was rented; and a small storage garage at Stewart completed the station. Office space was at the Carson Ranger District Office in Carson City Nevada. In 1991 the crew base was moved a location at the Carson Ranger District Work Center site, located in Minden Nevada. While this provided space for the crew to gather and crew "cache", no housing was available for two more years. The Forest acquired four modular office units from the abandoned Leviathan Mine that were remodeled and are currently being used for barracks for the crew.

The crew has always been sponsored by the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest and has never been disbanded or re-established.

During Craig Workman's tenure there were no fatalities and or serious injuries on the crew. Craig Retired in February of 2005.

Matt Hoggard the long standing Assistant Superintendent (1996-2005) took over the program as Superintendent in March of 2005 who continues to carry on the outstanding reputation that is associated with the Black Mountain IHC. In the spring of 2013 the crew moved from the Work Center in Minden Nevada to a newly build Interagency Work Center and barracks located a few miles north at the Plymouth Work Center. The crew is co-located with the BLM Silver State Hotshot Crew.

Matt Hoggard retired in January of 2016, having worked on Black Mountain since 1991.

Boise

1970	1989-1992	1993-1996	1997-2001	2001-Present

Year(s)	Superintendent
1961	Gary N. White
1962-1963	Billings
1964	John (Tex) Stockman
1965-1968	Carl Rossell
1969	Ron Dean
1970-1973	Dave Kellogg
1974-1978	Merrill Saleen
1979-1986	Terry Leatherman
1987-1992	Kole Berriochoa
1993	Chris Simonson
1994-1996	Kole Berriochoa
1996-1998	Jim Cook
1999-2001	Randy Skelton
2001-2011	Matthew Ziegler
2011-Present	Deon Berner

Crew History: Payette Hotshots, Payette IR, Boise IR, Boise Hotshots.

The crew was started on the Payette National Forest, Thorn Creek Ranger District in 1961 (one of the first Hotshot crews in the Forest Service). The crew back then consisted of 30 men and were called the "Payette Hotshots". The dress code back then was a long sleeved khaki shirt, light green jeans, logging boots, a gold aluminum hard hat and a red bandana around their neck. Their hand-tools only consisted of a shovel and a Pulaski. In 1971 the name Hotshots was changed to Inter-Regional" (IR) Crew calling them "Payette IR". In 1980 the crew was moved off the Payette National Forest to the Boise Interagency Fire Center, "BIFC" (now known as NIFC) in Boise, ID. This was done in order to meet the National requirement of all IR crews mandating all IR crew to be stationed within a two hour report time of a jet airport. With this big move, the crew's name was changed to "Boise IR".

As the years went on, the initials "IR" took on a new meaning of "infrared". This new nomaclature change caused the crew name to be changed to the now current name of "Boise Hotshots". In 1987 the crew declared the colors of jade, red and black for their crew colors. In 1990 the crew took on one final move, from Boise, ID to their current location at the Garden Vally Work Center in Garden Valley, ID. This new location resides within the Emmett Ranger District of the Boise National Forest.

At their new home the crew is continuing to build lasting memories. They have received great support from the district and the forest. They provide quality work on district projects, assisting with the other departments on the forest. Unfortuneately over the years, the fire seasons have become longer, reducing time spent at home to assist with the district and forest project needs.

In 2020, the crew module configuration change- adding 8 new permanent positions due to the "case for change" 80/20 module consideration. In 2022, another IHC module change, two perm GS-06 Lead Crews positions were created. The Perm Seasonal positions were extended from 13 paid pay periods to 18 with eventually all positions from GS-06 and up becoming permanent full time 26/0. The IHC crew configuration numbers were also been adjusted to consists of 20-25 fire fighters. Currently the crew is sitting at 24 firefighters on the crew.

During the longer, unwielding fire seasons, the crew continues its mission to provide quality work while striving to be proactive, productive members for the Incident Management Teams (IMT's) and other agencies they may work with.

Bonneville

Year(s)	Superintendent
2001-2008	Nathan Lancaster
2008-2012	Chris Kirby
2012-Present	Pila Malolo

The Bonneville IHC was established in 2001 to help fulfill BLM's commitment to provide national fire suppression resources. The crew is based in Salt Lake City Utah, Salt Lake BLM Field Office. In 2001 the crew ran as a IHC(T) and received its certification in the Spring of 2002.

Cedar City

2001-2002	2003-2006	2007-present

Year(s)	Superintendent
2001-2002	Jon Lee
2003-2005	Robert Barrett
2006-2009	Ken Henson
2010-2015	Brian Burbridge
2016-Present	Dave Harmon (2016 detail)

As Professional Wildland Firefighters we are dedicated to serving the U.S. Forest Service, our Cooperators and the Public while maintaining the values of Leadership, Integrity and Teamwork.

The Cedar City Interagency Hotshot Crew (IHC) is located in southwest Utah in the town of Cedar City. Cedar City is approximately 250 miles south of Salt Lake City, Utah and approximately 220 miles north of Las Vegas, Nevada. This town is surrounded by the Dixie National Forest, Cedar City Bureau of Land Management and various National Parks.

In 2001, under the direction and in accordance with the National Fire Plan, the Dixie National Forest became host to the Dixie Interagency Hotshot Crew based in Cedar City, Utah. The Dixie IHC would be the first Type I or Type II crew to be hosted by the Dixie National Forest. From 2001 to the spring of 2003, the crew was stationed in a hangar at the Cedar City Municipal Airport. In 2003, the Dixie N.F. in conjunction with Cedar City BLM, Zion National Park and Utah State Fire and Forestry, the Color Country Interagency Fire Center opened in Cedar City. The crew relocated to the new Fire Center in the spring of 2003 where they reside to this day.

Jon Lee came from the Plumas Hotshots in northern California in 2001 to become the first Superintendent of the Dixie IHC. For the first two years of their inception, the crew was mobilized as an IHC Trainee crew. In the spring of 2003, Jon left the crew after accepting a Fire Management position with the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Arizona. Robert Barrett, the Assistant Superintendent from the Logan Hotshots in northern Utah, was hired as the new Superintendent in the early summer. Robert changed the crew's name to the Cedar City Interagency Hotshot Crew to represent the District and the town of Cedar City. In that same year, the Cedar City IHC officially earned the status as a type 1 IHC. In the winter of 2005, Robert accepted a Battalion Chief position on the Caribou-Targhee National Forest in Idaho. In 2006, Ken Henson from the Los Padres Hotshots in southern California became the Superintendent of the Cedar City IHC. In 2007, a second GS-8 Captain position was added to the crew. In the fall of 2009, Ken Henson accepted a Fire Management Officer position on the Pine Valley Ranger District of the Dixie National Forest. Brian Burbridge, a Captain on the crew since 2005, accepted the Superintendent position in the spring of 2010. In the early spring 0f 2016, Brian accepted an operations position with the Great Basin Coordination Center. With Brian's departure, Dave Harmon, a Captain with the crew since 2010, detailed into the Superintendent position for 2016 and accepted the position officially in 2017.

The crew traditionally has a start date in the beginning of May which brings them available for assignment in mid May. They will work until the end of September or longer depending on the severity of fire season, funding or forest needs. As well as fire suppression the crew has assisted with; medical aids, mechanical fuel treatments, prescribed fire locally and nationally, shuttle recovery, hurricane relief and various other assignments as needed.

Although the Cedar City IHC is relatively new in terms of Hotshot longevity, the program continues to strive to become an integral part of the National Interagency Hotshot program. From its inception, Cedar City IHC crewmembers have been educated in the fundamental Hotshot characteristics of Duty, Respect and Integrity. A strong work ethic, commitment to the operation, and respect for Hotshot history and tradition are the pillars upon which this crew stands.

Idaho City

Year(s)	Superintendent
2001-2004	Russ Long
2005-Present	Brian Cardoza

The Idaho City Hotshots will uphold the Forest Service mission of "Protecting the land and serving the people." Our vision is to continue to integrate within the Wildland Fire Organization professionally and effectively, earning respect through safety, hard work, proficiency and exceeding performance standards.

In 2001, in response to the wildfires of the previous year, the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture conducted a review to determine the adequacy of the 1995 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy. While the review generally supported the foundations of the policy, it also found it to be "incomplete in many areas, especially those that involve collaboration, coordination, and integration across agency jurisdictions and across different disciplines." Appropriations followed and part of the effort towards installing the implementation actions outlined in the 2001 National Fire Plan went towards funding an expansion crew on the Idaho City Ranger District. By October of that year, the crew was certified as a Type-1 Interagency Hotshot Crew with Russ Long as the inaugural Superintendent.

The crew is located on Idaho's Boise National Forest, which it shares with its sister crew the Boise IHC. Split into five districts, with 9,600 miles of perennial and intermittent streams and elevations ranging from 2,800-9,730 ft., the Boise NF is a dynamic area to fight fire in. We share our Forest Service compound with a Type-2IA crew, a Type-3 Engine and two prevention personnel. Completed in 2004, our facilities include Superintendent's/Captain's offices, readiness/training rooms, barracks and a gym.

Since inception, the Idaho City IHC has truly been utilized as an interagency and national resource. While the overhead has experience internationally, the crew itself has seen action from Florida to Alaska and participated in incidents ranging from Wildland Fire to the Columbia Space Shuttle recovery. Originally structured with a single Assistant Supt., the crew is now composed of a two-Captain system, allowing for greater versatility.

In 2005 Brian Cardoza accepted the Superintendent's position and has held it ever since. The culture of the Idaho City IHC has been predicated on hard work and aptitude. We appreciate the opportunity to work with other agencies and resources to jointly accomplish whatever tasks appointed us. We strive to provide a highly motivated and skilled firefighting unit, priding itself on safety, integrity, efficiency and aggression.

The mission of the Idaho City Hotshots is to provide a highly skilled firefighting crew that operates safely, is versatile, and operates with integrity and mutual respect. The crew strives to improve itself and others by training and teaching. Fitness is held in high regard, and is founded on the principles of hard work.

Idaho City Hotshots receive nothing but exceptional support from District, Forest, Regional and National levels.

Logan

Year(s)	Superintendent
Logan USU Forestry Crew
1973-1974	Dee Sessions
1975	Bob Clancy
Logan I.R. Crew
1976	Bob Clancy
1977	Mike Jenkins
1978	Dan Fritz
Wasatch Hotshots (Kamas Ranger District)
1980-1984	J.D. Killick
Logan Interagency Hotshot Crew (Training Crew - Type II)
1988-1989	Scott Bushman
Logan Interagency Hotshot Crew
1990-1998	Scott Bushman
1999	Nathan Lancaster (Detailed)
2000-2001	Scott Bushman
2002	Robert Barrett (Detailed)
2003-2006	Scott Bushman
2007-2009	Kendal Wilson
2010	Roy Fetzer (Detailed)
2011	John Platt (Detailed)
2012-Present	Roy Fetzer

Since the creation of the Logan Forest Reserve in 1903, fire prevention and suppression has been an important emphasis on the Cache National Forest. Overgrazing and large, unchecked forest fires in the critical watersheds of the Wasatch and Bear River Mountains of Northern Utah led President Theodore Roosevelt to set aside the Logan Canyon area as one of the first Forest Reserves in the nation. One of the first directives given to the Reserves first Supervisor, John Squires, was to organize an effective fire fighting force to control forest fires within the reserve. In 1910 Squires' hard work enabled Logan's Deputy Forest Supervisor, John Riis, to lead a crew of 300 firefighters from Cache Valley to fight the large fires raging in Idaho and Montana. Though the crew was made up mostly of college students, local farm boys, hoboes and convicts taken from the local jail it demonstrated the Forests' ability to raise a large firefighting force in an emergency.

The tradition of an organized, standing fire crew on the Logan Ranger District was not realized until the late 1920's when the Forest Service sent future chief Lyle Watts to Cache Valley. Watts was given the task of establishing a Forestry Department at Utah Agricultural College in Logan (now Utah State University). This was one of the first forestry schools in the western United States. As part of the Forestry curriculum students were required to attend a six week summer forestry camp in the near by Cache National Forest. As the forestry summer camp students would miss the opportunity for seasonal jobs with the Forest Service, Watts convinced the Cache Forest Supervisor to sponsor a forestry student fire crew on the Logan District. The Logan IHC can be traced back to this early beginning.

As Chief of the Forest Service, Edward Cliff (Chief from1962 to 1972) is credited with developing the concept of organized hotshot crews. Under his leadership the first Hotshot crews (known as Inter Regional Crews) were established on several National Forests in the early 1960s. It is interesting to note that Chief Cliff attended Utah State College in Logan from 1928 to 1931. As part of the forestry student employment agreement, he worked as a summer seasonal fire and recreation guard on the Logan District while attending Forestry School.

In the 1930's the Forestry Student fire crew tended to combine with two Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) camp crews hosted on the District. During this period the CCC camp at Tony Grove was used to train and dispatch local fire crews. In the 1940's the CCC Camp was disbanded with Utah State University taking over the CCC work center. From the early 1940's to 2002 the Tony Grove CCC camp was used to host the U.S.U. Forestry Summer Camp program. It was this summer Forestry Camp program that provided the recruitment source for the Logan Fire crew for the next 40 years, (approximately 1940 to 1978).

In 1973 the Cache National Forest merged with the Wasatch to become the Wasatch- Cache National Forest with the Supervisors Office in Salt lake City, Utah. With the merger with a large urban Forest, fire suppression and watershed protection became a major priority. Under the leadership of District F.M.O., Neff Hardman, the crew would eventually gain "Inter Regional" status. The size of the crews would vary from 10 to 20 people. Dee Sessions became the first Logan Fire Crew boss in 1973. That year the crew included Jack Ford, whose father Gerald Ford would soon become President of the United States.

In 1974 Dee Sessions returned as Crew Boss for the Logan Fire Crew. That year, Suzanne Morgan became the first woman member of the crew.

In 1975 Robert Clancy replaced Dee Sessions as crew boss and the crew was expanded to a 20 person crew. In 1976 the crew was given I.R. status as a type II crew receiving several out-of-Region assignments. In 1977, Mike Jenkins replaced Clancy as crew boss. According to Jenkins most of the 1977 season was spent fighting fire in Northern California, which included a 28 day assignment on the Hog Fire. In 1978 the crew was cut back to ten crewmembers due to a lack of funding and discontinued the following year. The USU Logan I.R. Crew's last crew boss was Dan Fritz.

In 1980 the Wasatch-Cache decided to develop a Type I Hotshot crew. The Kamas Ranger District was chosen to host the new crew and the crew became the Wasatch Hotshots. J.D. Killick, with Hotshot experience in Region 5 served as Superintendent from 1980 to 1984. In 1985 the Wasatch Hotshot Crew was disbanded due to federal budget cutbacks.

In 1987 Forest Supervisor, Dale Bosworth (forme Chief of the Forest Service), requested funding to re-establish a type I hotshot crew on the Wasatch-Cache National Forest. This request was approved and funding made available but on condition that a type I status would only be given if and when the crew was able to meet national IHC operational and performance standards.

Thus, the crew was funded for two years on a trial bases. After much debate it was decided to return the program to Logan to take advantage of the Ranger District's existing crew infrastructure and the ability to readily recruit crewmembers from the Forestry Department at Utah State University as established since the 1930's.

The new Logan Fire Crew came on line in 1988 with Scott Bushman as the crew Superintendent. The crew's first season is remembered as one of controlled chaos and learning. During the first year the crew's name was changed three times, from USU Logan to Wasatch-Logan to Logan I.R. Final funding for the crew was not finalized until late spring making recruitment and ordering supplies a last minute scramble This coupled with the worst fire season since 1910 made for an interesting first season. In 1989 the crew worked on eight campaign fires in Utah, Colorado and Idaho. At the end of the 1989 fire season the crew's performance was evaluated by Region Four fire staff. It was felt that the crew had met all performance and organizational requirements for Type I qualifications and the crew became the Logan Hotshots.

1990 was a pivotal year for the Logan Hotshots. Once again funding became a critical factor with no National or Regional funding available to support the crew. If not for the efforts and support of Regional and Forest fire staff and the constant effort of District Ranger Dave Baumgartner the crew would have ceased to exist. Somehow, with a combination of regional severity funds, Forest fire funds and District project funds, enough money was scraped together to field the crew for one more year with a commitment from the Region that after 1990 the crew would be fully funded. That year the crew worked on nine project fires in six western states, logged over 10,000 driving miles as well as several thousand air miles.

The Logan IHC still maintains a positive working relationship with Utah State University established by Forest Service in the 1920s. Though the crew no longer actively recruits from the Forestry Department it does support and mentor several Forestry and Natural Resource students as well as sponsoring two Joint Apprentice Program positions. The crew also participates in the National Student Initiative Program with the Department of Forestry at Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas. Since 1999, the crew has hosted 5 Haskell students as well as provided instructors to teach basic fire school to students at Haskell University during the off season.

In 1996 the Logan Hotshots began participating in an International Firefighter Exchange Program between the U.S.D.A. Forest Service and The Federal Fire Protection Agency of Russia. Between 1996 and 2003 the Logan Hotshots have hosted ten Russian detailers on the crew. In 2001 the crew hosted two firefighters from Brazil. The crew Superintendent was also detailed to Russian in 1999 and 2002 as a Russian Hotshot Crew trainer and advisor.

Today the Logan Interagency Hotshot Crew enjoys a strong reputation as a professional and progressive crew. The crew continues to emphasize performance, safety and professionalism as its core values. It is proud of its traditions and of its close working relationships with fellow Hotshot crews, overhead teams and fire managers.

Lone Peak

Year(s)	Superintendent
Flame-in-go Hotshots
1991-1994	Tracy Dunford
1995-1999	Gary Peck
2000-2001	Scott Bovey
Lone Peak Hotshots
2001-2004	Scott Bovey
2005	Joel Butcher
2006-2009	Mathew Armantrout
2010	Donny Bennett
2011-2016	Kris Bruington
2016-2018	Darren O'Loughlin
2018	Ryan LaFontaine (Detailed)
2019-present	Christian Berninger

The Lone Peak Hotshots are a nationally recognized Type 1 Interagency Hotshot Crew (IHC), based out of the Lone Peak Conservation Center, in Draper, Utah. The Lone Peak Hotshot Crew was first established in 2001. The crew starts training in mid April and will stay available for assignments till the end of October. Lone Peak Hotshot crew was established on the solid foundation that was once called the "Flame-In-Go Hotshots".

In 1991, within the existing Flame-In-Go program, the concept of an inmate hotshot crew was brewing. After gaining the support from regional hotshot crews and the national fire management governing bodies, the Flame-In-Go Hotshots were born. The crew was made up 17 of inmates from the Utah State Prison, 2 Correctional Officers' and 2 Utah Forestry, Fire and State Land's Supervisors. The Flame-In-Go Hotshots operated from 1991 through 1998 as a Regional Hotshot Crew (RHC) dedicated to fire suppression in the Eastern Great Basin Area. In 1998, the Flame-In-Go Hotshots gained National IHC status and began strengthening their reputation as a nationally recognized resource. From 1998 to 2000, the Flame-In-Go Hotshots fought fires all over the nation with the most notable location being the Boundary Waters of Minnesota. The crew met all qualifying requirements and accomplished tasks with only minor differences from that of federal hotshot crews. In 2001, after the national shift to strengthen crew qualifications and crew standards, the Flame-In-Go Hotshots were unable to keep up with the new standards and maintain hotshot status with inmate crew members. At that point in time, it was decided to make the decision to transform the Flame-In-Go Hotshots into the Lone Peak Hotshots an all civilian crew.

Since the inception of the Lone Peak Hotshots in 2001, the crew has traveled extensively through out the nation fighting wildland fires. Lone Peak has developed into a professional and respected resource in the fire community. While not on fires, the crew participates in fuels reduction and natural resources based projects. The crew has seven career staff positions and typically employs fifteen to seventeen seasonal crew members each fire season. The crew normally has a low turn over rate and openings are incredibly competitive for new crew members. The crew still resides at the Lone Peak Conservation Center in Draper, using the same facilities as the Flame-In-Go's did with many new upgrades.

Ruby Mountain

Year(s)	Superintendent
2001-2004	Shane McDonald
2005-2006	Rich Stiles
2007-2008	Spencer Gregory
2009-2013	Gabriel Donaldson
2014-2016	Craig Cunningham
2016	Troy Thomas
2017-2018	Jerry Drazinski
2019	vacant
2020-Present	Chase Maness

Ruby Mountain IHC began as a Type 1 training-crew on May 21st, 2001, in response to the 2000 national fire plan initiative presented by President Bill Clinton. This initiative allowed for 20 hand crews to start the process of becoming Type 1 Hotshot Crews. Ruby Mountain became available June 8th, 2001 and was assigned to their first fire on the next day.

The base of operations for the crew is in Elko, Nevada. In 2003 the crew became qualified as an Interagency Hotshot Crew.

Throughout the years, physical training has been a fundamental part of the RMHS way of life. In the interest of quality work done safely and efficiently, Ruby Mountain adheres to a strict physical conditioning routine. In 2014 the crew won the BLM IHC fitness challenge.

The Ruby Mountain Hotshots place great emphasis on training and upward mobility. Ruby Mountain has supported detail opportunities for our state and federal partners. While maintaining its status as a High Reliability Organization, Ruby Mountain fosters an environment of safety, training and leadership. Gabe Donaldson earned the Kevin Hull Nevada State Leadership Award in 2011. Craig Cunningham was the 2013 recipient of the Bureau of Land Management's National Wildland Fire Safety Award for the development of P.L.O.W.S. In 2014, the crew received the From the Field for the Field award for its participation in the Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program's Leadership Campaign.

Sawtooth

Year(s)	Superintendent
1967	Bob Berg
1968-1973	Bill Williams
1974-1977	Randy Doman
1978	Joe Bongiovi (1/2 year)
1978-1980	Randy Doman
1981-1989	Cole Johnson
1990	Mark Barbo (detail)
1991-1995	Andy Lang
1996-2000	Dennis Pratt
2001-2006	Tom Bates
2007-2011	Heath Cota
2012-2019	Mike Krupski
2020-Present	Kyle West

In 1966 the Sawtooth National Forest established a 10-person fire crew that was stationed at the Featherville Brush Camp (an old CCC camp) on the Shake Creek Ranger District (now the Fairfield R.D.). Ray Neiwert was the foreman of that crew and Jim Prunty was assistant foreman.

The following year, in the spring of 1967, a 25-30 person ZECTRAN spruce budworm control crew was formed and stationed at the old ranger station in Ketchum, Idaho. Bob Berg was the foreman and Clayton Edmonds was assistant foreman of that crew. After the spruce budworm spray project was finished the crew was stationed near where the Big Smoky Guard Station was to be established. The nucleus of that spray crew replaced the Shake Creek fire crew and formed the nationally recognized Sawtooth (IR) Interregional Hotshot Crew.

All indications are that the Sawtooth IR Crew was established as a result of a national study identifying the need for additional national hotshot crews after the 1966 fire season. The strong campaigning of the then Forest FMO, Reid Christensen and the following Forest FMO, Phil Cloward led the Sawtooth N.F. to host one.

During that first season the fire crew members spent duty-time at the camp training for fire suppression, physical conditioning, and camp maintenance. Project work consisted of fire line building around clear cuts and brushwork on the Fairfield Ranger District. Army Quonset huts were set up in the spring and disassembled in the fall. A tent cookhouse was also erected.

After the 1967 fire season had begun the crew never returned to Big Smoky Guard Station due to the time it took to drive to the Twin Falls Airport. The crew then spent time repairing telephone line to Rock Creek Guard Station. The line was abandoned before repairs were completed. Most of the first year's crewmembers were students who returned to school after fire season.

In the spring of 1969, the bunkhouse and kitchen at the Brush Camp in Featherville were cut into 7-piece sections by Forest Carpenter Ray Nelson. The sections were loaded onto trucks and reassembled to form the Big Smoky kitchen and dining room. These replaced the Quonset huts, one old trailer used for an office, and another trailer used as a mess hall. It was a three-week job to move these buildings. The prime movers behind the project were Lorin Bartlome, Joe Mallea, and Beryl Bevercombe.

Tent cabin frames and two of the barrack buildings were also built in 1969, with the help of Ray Nelson, Bill Williams, Gordon Welch, Darrell Smith and the IR crew. The engineering cabin was constructed in 1971 under the supervision of Vern Barnes. The IR crew later followed by building another barracks, an office, and doubled the size of an existing shower house. The forest fire budget paid for building all the "portable" buildings at the camp (it was illegal to construct permanent structures with fire funds).

Physical training during those early years was rigorous. They did about 40 minutes of calisthenics that finished with a run (in boots) for about ¾ of a mile culminating in a hill climb where crewmembers frequently experienced "type 3" nausea. Under Superintendent Bill Williams (1968-1973) a solid foundation was laid for recognition of the Sawtooth Hotshots as a top-grade crew.

Throughout the early years, the entire crew lived at the Big Smoky facility Monday through Friday. Daily project work included standard military barracks-type cleanings and equipment inspection in addition to District project work. From 1967 until about 1975, the crew traveled to and from Twin Falls for non-fire weekends-off in the crew bus (non-pay status travel). The crewmembers who didn't have Twin Falls housing lived in the Twin Falls warehouse on weekends.

The crew remained at Big Smoky during the 70's with more and more time being spent in Twin Falls during the fire season (after initial training). The crew was finally relocated permanently to Twin Falls after 1980. The move was made after it was determined that fire response time wasn't adequate due to the distance from the Twin Falls Jetport. Other reasons included, an aging electrical generation system, substandard wiring and water supply systems, reduced project work requirements on the Fairfield District due to a diminished timber harvest and it was believed that subsistence costs could be substantially reduced.

In 1981, the crew moved into a new Dispatch/Hotshot facility at the current S.O. location on Kimberly Rd. Two years later, the Twin Falls District gave up on their building lease due partially to limited access and moved into the building, bumping the Hotshots out into the warehouse. Shortly thereafter the S.O. relocated to the same area adding on to the building. In 1983, the crew went from being supervised by the Forest FMO to the South Zone FMO.

From the start of the crew in 1967 until 1976 the "fire going" crew size was 25 people with a five person "stay home squad and squad boss" remaining behind when the crew went off-forest. In 1977, hiring was reduced to 25 people with 25 still going to fires. Then in 1978, they followed the national standard reducing fire crew size and hiring to 20 people to accommodate the various aircraft sizes at the time. Until 1981 no sideburns, long hair or facial hair was allowed. The Sawtooth Hotshots maintained a close parallel to military discipline. 1979 brought women to work on the crew for the first time. The crew used a bus until the mid-80's at which time they went to vans. A change to the standard, widely used, crew carriers came in 1988. The crew Foreman title was changed in 1987 to Superintendent along with the Interregional Hotshot Crew (IR) designation changing to Interagency Hotshot Crew (IHC).

The crew logo was developed in 1979 by Doug Borah who used the mountain symbol from the "Scenic Sawtooth" signs. The crew color was heather blue until 1990 when it was changed to navy blue. The crew logo was redesigned in 1991 using the mountain scene from the 1979 logo, the navy-blue border was used from the crew's color and the inner orange circle is representative of a smoke-filled sun-scape.

In 1996, three permanent squad leader positions were established bringing the number of appointed positions within the crew to five, providing the operational and administrative consistency that characterizes "professional" organizations. Beginning in 1991, the crew began to emphasize physical fitness with new vigor. Fitness testing and daily P.T. that included running, hiking, calisthenics and weight training became the standard.

According to testing records, each following season was met with a better conditioned crew. In 1996 the crew began advertising rigid fitness expectations, and for the 1997 season instituted rigorous first day fitness assessments that demanded a high level of conditioning prior to crew employment. Gone were the days of running in boots, but the same drive for conditioning and fitness that was part of the crew's early history returned with zeal. The crew returned to Big Smoky in 1999. Eight consecutive days of pre- season preparedness training took place at the old base. Without distractions, interruptions or concern for time constraints, this fresh approach to readiness training helped develop a focused and disciplined team, better prepared for assignment earlier in the field season than in previous years.

1999 also marked the first year since the three permanent squad leader positions were established in 1996 that all five supervisory positions were staffed with career appointed employees hired for those specific jobs. The consistency and integrity of the command structure was apparent.

Partially due to the busy 2000 fire season, the National Fire Plan provided increased opportunities to create professions out of being a Sawtooth Hotshot. From 2000-2012, The permanent overhead structure developed into three Senior Firefighter GS 4/5 and three Squad Leader GS 6/7, both PSE 13/13's, one PFT GS 7/8 Assistant Superintendent and the Superintendent GS 9. Other changes to the organization were the acquisition through rental of a separate warehouse (aka "The Pain Cave") in 2002, to provide needed space for the crew to work out of. A new vehicle configuration arrived in 2004 that consisted of three squad carrier vehicles allowing self-containment of all personal and gear for the Squad. These vehicles were practical in design but proved flawed in construction and were plagued with breakdowns. Many minivans, Quad Cab pickups, and Suburban rentals later, a new nationally standardized 10-person Crew Carrier vehicle arrived in 2012.

Silver State

Year(s)	Superintendent
1976-1977	Dick Jackson
1978	Kelly Clark
1979	Tom Sullivan
1980	Mark Lathrop
1981-1989	Steve Edgar
1990-1998	James Ogilvie
1999-2002	Jerry Soard
2003-2006	Nate Gogna
2006-present	Kevin Kelly

Silver State Hand Crew has been around since late 1960's mainly consisting of Emergency Firefighters.

Organized as a Crew in 1976
Hotshot Crew in 1977
Interagency Hotshot Crew in 1980

Established in Carson City, NV where the crew continues to reside.

Snake River

Year(s)	Superintendent
2001-2020	Randy Anderson
2021-present	Kenny Bochniak

In 2000 the BLM made the decision to add four hotshot crews. The Upper Snake River District (now Idaho Fall District) was chosen to host one of these crews in Pocatello, Idaho. Randy Anderson was hired in March 2001 as the superintendent and in approximately 2 months the crew was hired, equipment purchased, vehicles scrounged and we were up and running. The crew maintained trainee status for the entire 2001 season and received hotshot certification in 2002. The crew has a great mutual relationship with the BLM of Idaho and the Idaho Falls District in regards to fuels projects and providing experienced personnel in leadership roles. Kenney Bochniak, an original crewmember from 2001, and Paul Davis are the current crew foreman. In December 2014 the crew moved into a new operations building on BLM land in Pocatello.

Northern Rockies

Bear Paw

Year(s)	Superintendent
2000-2006	Mike Lamere
2006	Earl Old Chief
2006-present	Wilbur Nagel

The strength of the crew is in the individual, and the strength of the individual is in the crew

In 2000, the Chippewa-Cree Tribal Business Committee and Natural Resources Department drafted up a proposal for an Inter-Agency Hotshot Crew to be based out of the Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation. A formal written request was submitted to Mr. Tom Corbin, Regional Fire Management Officer, Bureau of Indian Affairs in Billings, Montana stating the intentions of the Chippewa-Cree Tribe to establish a Type 1 Inter-Agency Hotshot Crew here in Rocky Boy, Montana. The BIA-Billings Area Office expressed their support in starting a Hotshot program and helped give some direction on the next steps the Chippewa-Cree tribe needed to follow to accomplish the goal of establishing an Inter-Agency Hotshot Crew. The final action taken was to submit a formal request letter to Mr. Jim Stires, Director of the National Inter-Agency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, stating the intentions of the Chippewa-Cree Tribe of establishing a Type 1 Inter-Agency Hotshot Crew based out of the Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation.

The name of "Bear Paw" was chosen after the Bear Paw Mountains, in which the Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation is located. Initially, the crew was dispatched as an elite Type II Initial Attack crew, and received their entire funding from the Chippewa-Cree Tribal Business Committee to keep the crew working together as required in the National Interagency Hotshot Standards Guide and to prove themselves capable of Type 1 status considerations from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The Bear Paw personnel and the Chippewa-Cree tribe natural Resources department worked hard over the next several years to meet all the requirements of a Inter-Agency Hotshot Crew. In the spring of 2005, the hard work of all personnel involved was rewarded when the Bear Paw Fire Crew attained full certification as a Type 1 Inter-Agency Hotshot Crew and full funding from the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

The next two seasons, 2005 and 2006, the Bear Paw Hotshots experienced losses of key position personnel and a high turn-over of crew members. Losses of overhead and experienced crew members drew concerns from the Regional Fire Management Office about the program's integrity as an IHC, and placed under review for the 2007 fire season. The Bear Paw Hotshots were required to successfully complete a re-certification review prior to being available a Type 1 IHC, and to determine the future program's status.

Crew Supervision:

The first Superintendent for the Bear Paw IHC was Mike Lamere. He held the position from the initiation of the crew in 2000 until the Spring of 2006. John Gardipee was chosen as the Assistant Superintendent.

2006 Earl Old Chief took over as Superintendent in the late spring of, and held the position until November 2006. John Gardipee worked as the Assistant Superintendent. A two Captain system was implemented for the remainder of the 2006 season. John Gardipee and Lyman Wolf Chief, Jr. were the Captains; John "Sonny" Roasting Stick and Lenno Henderson, Sr. were the two Squad Leaders.

Wilbur Nagel became the Superintendent of the Bear Paw IHC in late December 2006 and is currently holding the position. The crew structure has reverted back to the traditional three squad configuration. Juan Gamble was selected as the new Assistant Superintendent in December of 2006.

Bison

Year(s)	Superintendent
Arrowhead 3
1981	John W. Allendorf
Bison Hotshots
1982	?
1984	Jerry Burke

In May of 1981, the National Park Service (NPS) established its "Interagency Hotshot Crew Program." Under this program, three crews were formed. Known as "Arrowhead 1, 2 and 3," these were the first hotshot crews to be funded by any Department of the Interior agency, and the first non-Forest Service crews. In 1981, Yellowstone Park was the host for the Arrowhead 3 crew. John W. Allendorf, superintendent of the Arrowhead 3 crew in 1981, recalls that since their crew was established so quickly, they did not have a crew shirt that year. These three crews with the same name but only a single number differentiating them caused some confusion, so in 1982; the names were changed respectively to "Alpine," "Arrowhead," and "Bison." These names were derived from the National Park Service emblem [1]. The Bison crew had old metal hard hats which were painted yellow. Each had an individually hand-painted bison on the side [2]. Apparently the Bison crew did not have a crew shirt in 1982; however, by 1983 there was a crew shirt that continued in use into the 1984 fire season. Jerry Burke (Foreman in '82 and '83 then Superintendent in '84 at Whiskeytown) designed the shirts. When the crew went to California in '84 the shirt became black with a white bison and lettering, and the reference to Yellowstone was deleted [3]. In 1983, the crew also had a sign made for their quarters in Yellowstone, which was apparently made for them by a member of the Yellowstone Helitack crew [4]. Unfortunately, due to budget constraints, the Bison IHC was eliminated from the National Park Service program after the 1984 fire season.

The shirts were not pocket tees. The front logo was applied in the usual upper left location [5]. Mike Holmes described the coloring as "... Ecru (tan) with brown lettering." (Photos provided by "JP" Mattingly.)

1983 Bison Interagency Hotshot Crew with their newly-created sign in front of the Lower Falls and installing it at their Canyon quarters. (Photos provided by Mike Holmes.)

[1] Hotshot Crew History in America.

[2] Correspondence from Mike Holmes.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Conversation with Ken Eckstein.

[5] Correspondence from "JP" Mattingly.

Bitterroot

Year(s)	Superintendent
1963	Dean Lundberg
1964	Vern Swanson
1965	Lou Romero
1966-1970	Jim Crockett
1971-1972	John Maupin
1973-1975	Rodney Lay
1976	Ken Huekel
1977	Don Rummel
1978-1983	Buck Latapie
1984	Don Ray
1985-?	Bill Miller
1990	Joe Thompson*
?-1993	Bill Miller
1994-2000	Steve Rawlings
2001-2006	Rory Laws
2007	Matt Gibson*
2008-present	Jay Wood

* denotes Detailed Superintendents

The Bitterroot Interagency Hotshot Crew was established in 1963. Initially called the Bitterroot (Hotshot) Interregional Fire Suppression Crew it was composed of 30 men. Their original duty station was an old CCC camp located up the West Fork of the Bitterroot River at the current location of Trapper Creek Job Corp Center south of Darby, MT.

In 1965 their duty station was moved to the East Fork Guard Station on the East Fork of the Bitterroot River also south of Darby, MT. They used this site for 11 years before moving to their current location in Darby, MT where they remain until today. The main reason for the move to Darby was to minimize travel time to the Missoula International Airport for flights to fires.

In 1980 the Forest Service standardized the Interregional Fire Suppression Crew program and adopted the term "Hotshots". Thus the Bitterroot Interagency Hotshot crew was named.

From 1976 through 1987 the crew's headquarters was the old Ranger Station building, now a visitor center and museum. From 1988 until 2001 the crew worked and trained out of two garage bays at the Darby Ranger Station. In 2002 they moved into their current building, a luxury facility with ample room to house their two crew carriers, office space, a state of the art training room, and spacious airy ready room (or locker room).Over the years the crew has went through many changes ranging from crew organization, vehicle arrangement(vans to crew carriers) and crew logo. The image above right was the crew's first logo. The current logo (above left) is the newest version of Steve Barringer 1990 design.

In 2013 the Bitterroot Hotshots celebrated a proud 50 years of service, and we look forward to the next 50 years.

Chief Mountain

Year(s)	Superintendent
1988-1990	Bruce McDonald
1991-1992	Glen Still Smoking
1993-1994	John Murray
1995-1996	Tom Evans
1997	Steve Murray
1998-Present	Lyle St. Goddard

PRESERVING THE PAST WHILE BUILDING THE FUTURE

The Chief Mountain Interagency Hotshot crew is based out of Browning, MT on the Blackfeet Reservation. The Chief Mountain crew name was acquired by Glen Still Smoking a former Superintendent. Glen came through the name (Chief Mountain) by a mountain located on the Blackfeet Reservation. Chief Mountain is scared place for vision and spiritual healing. The Hotshot crew got its Logo from a Blackfeet artist Bob Tail feathers. Bob painted the mountain from the east side and gave it to the program this is how the name and Logo was established. The Blackfeet Tribe along with the Bureau of Indian Affairs sponsored the Chief Mountain Hotshot crew in 1989. The program started in 1986 on the Anderson Creek Complex in Idaho a Type II crew dispatched from the Blackfeet agency was working along with several Interagency Hotshot crews and were recognized for their hard work by Bob Wagonfer a Type 1 Incident Commander at the time. Mr. Wagonfer commended the crew on their performance and mentioned their might be an opening in Region 1 for a Hotshot crew. The Blackfeet Tribe approached the Agency about sponsoring a hotshot crew, so after having good performance ratings on several fires as a Type II Initial Attack crew. The Blackfeet agency took the necessary steps to get the crew recognized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Hotshot program and the Region 1 IHC program. Then in 1990 the crew was certified as a Region 1 Hotshot program. The program was supported by the Blackfeet Tribe and went through years of performing well, but did not receive any funding. Then in 1996 the crew received its first funding by the Department of Interior and the program was able to support it self more openly. The performance and demand for Chief Mountain skyrocketed to where the program was recognized by name. The Chief Mountain Hotshot program received an award for outstanding safety performance during the 1999 fire season for zero lost accidents and zero reportable vehicle accidents by the US Forest Service and Northern Rockies Coordinating Group. The Chief Mountain Interagency Hotshot Crew has been recognized by several film production companies and currently has 2 documentary films completed.

Flathead

Year(s)	Superintendent
1966	Bruce Pyles
1967	Fred Andres
1968	Byron Sangunsky
1969-1976	Al Squires
1977-1986	Bruce McAtee
1987-1998	Paul Linse
1999-2002	Don Rees
2003-2011	Harvey Carr
2012-2015	Tyler Anderson
2016-present	Shawn Borgen

The 1966 Flathead Interregional Fire Suppression crew began its inaugural season in mid-June at the Big Creek Ranger Station, 35 miles north of Kalispell, Montana and just outside Glacier National Park. Big Creek served the crew well for many years, but in 1982 the crew's duty station was changed to the district office in Columbia Falls. In 1994 the Glacier View Ranger District was consolidated with the Hungry Horse Ranger District and the crew moved to Hungry Horse where it remains today.

Over its 50+ year history the crew has participated in fire suppression across the nation and Canada. While fire management is the crew's primary objective, the crew has been called on many times for all-risk incidents - hurricanes, tornados, floods, aircraft recovery, and search and rescue. When not suppressing fires or training, the crew helps the Flathead NF and adjoining agencies with project work including habitat improvement through thinning, prescribed fire operations, trail construction, hazard tree mitigation, and other project work.

In May, 2016, the Flathead Hotshots celebrated 50 years as a crew with at least one person in attendance for every year since the crew's beginnings. The current superintendent, crew, and many former members were in attendance including former superintendents Bruce McAtee, Paul Linse, Don Rees, and Harvey Carr.

Helena

Year(s)	Superintendent
1971-1973	Mike Collins
1974-1975	Tom Patten
1976-1979	Mike Pelia
1980-1982	Larry Cole
1983-1988	Dave Larsen
1988	Gary Sullivan (acting)
1989-2001	Larry Edwards
2002-2005	Rocky Gilbert
2006	Kenny Spint (detail)
2007-present	Fred Thompson

Opera Non Verba

2009 marks 38 years of existence of an organized fire suppression crew on the Helena NF.

Located on the Helena Ranger District, the Helena Hotshot crew had its beginnings in 1971, organized initially as a 10-person camp/slash crew under the supervision of Mike Collins; AD hires were used to bulk the crew numbers up to 20. By July of 1971 the crew was being dispatched as a suppression unit, with the crew arriving at the incident under the "IR" designation. This did not endear the Helena crew to the other legitimate IR crews and made for interesting chowtime conversation. Crew strength numbers fluctuated, but early crew composition included many Native Americans as well as Vietnam era veterans. Special mention needs to be made of Dale Jarrell's efforts to establish the Helena crew during these early years. The crew continued as a "quasi" Hotshot crew in 1973, responding to fires but not having regional recognition.

In 1974 the crew received a new crew boss Tom Patten, regional recognition and financing, and was the only Hotshot crew in Region 1 east of the continental divide, as well as the only Region 1 crew operating with out housing or barracks for crewmembers. Patten continued as "crew boss" through 1975, at which time Mike Peila took over the helm. During this time the crew performed notably on most major fires of the period including, Skinner Mill, Marble Cone and late season Region 9 fires.

The crew did not have "formal" recognition in 1979 due to fiscal constraints, but in 1980 the crew returned under the supervision of new crew foreman Larry Cole, who had been recruited from the NezPerce IR crew which was being shut-down due to restructuring of the region's IR crews. During Cole's tenure - 1980 through 1982 - the crew continued to respond to a number of fires within and out of region.

In 1983 Dave Larsen, who had previously worked on the hotshot crew with Larry Cole and Mike Peila, took over "Foreman" responsibilities. During Larsen's reign, 1983 through 1988, two significant personnel actions occurred. The first being the establishment of the GS-6 assistant foreman position in 1986, the first in the Region to do so, and secondly, in 1987, the reinstatement of WAE Status for the crew foreman. Gary Sullivan performed as acting Superintendent during the bulk of the 1988 season.

In 1989 Larry Edwards assumed the superintendent position. Under Edwards the crew changed with the time transforming from an Inter-regional (IR) crew to an Interagency Hotshot Crew (IHC). Larry brought a Region 5 influence to the organization, but opted for a three module configuration. His crews were always known for their hard work and their ability to get the job done. Larry dedicated 13 years to the program with his tenure ending after the 2001 fire season.

Additionally Kenny Spint dedicated 8 seasons to the crew from 1995-2002 as a squad boss and eventual Assistant Superintendent

Rocky Gilbert took over as the Superintendent in 2002. The Helena crew continues with an Assistant Superintendent and three modules with Ford F-550 mini-buggies having finally converted from Suburbans.

Although crew strength has fluctuated from between 10 and 22 members due to fiscal considerations diversity has been a mainstay of the crew since its inception. Early affiliations with local tribal organizations continue today, in addition women crewmembers have been a part of the Helena Hotshots since the mid 1970's and remain an important part of crew composition. The Helena still has no crew quarters and centers is operations out the "Shot House" a 1950's era Forest Service house and garage which serves as office, cache, and locker room space.

The "Helena" performs project work for all Helena N.F. Ranger Districts, the BLM, and adjoining forests. In addition to having responded to fires in all FS regions, the crew has provided its skills and expertise in emergency medical situations, search and rescue operations, law enforcement assistance, fire training, Hurricanes Hugo, Andrew and Georges, wilderness fire management and prescribed burning.

Idaho Panhandle

Year(s)	Superintendent
St. Joe IHC
1967-1969	Dale Jarrell
1970-1971	Mike Cyrus
1972-1973	Dennis Johnson
1975	Jim Preston
1976-1979	Dean Berger
1980-1987	John Myhre
1988-1994	Jim O'Dell
1995-1998	Lynn Bornitz
1999	B Hadley Hawkins
1999-2000	Lynn Bornitz
2000	Rory Laws
Idaho Panhandle IHC
2001-2003	Louis Hartjes
2004-2008	Terry Zufelt
2009-Present	Chris Smith

Since 1962, four Type I hotshot crews have been established in northern Idaho. Today, the Idaho Panhandle Hotshot Crew, formerly the St. Joe Interagency Hotshot Crew (changed name in 2001 to better represent the whole forest), is the sole survivor. Dale Jarrell organized the crew in 1967 and served as crew boss until 1969. The crew is based at the Idaho Panhandle National Forest's Supervisor's Office in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. This forest is an administrative combination of the Kaniksu, Coeur d'Alene, and St. Joe National Forests.

For 30 years, the hotshot crew worked out of the Clarkia Work Center on the St. Joe Ranger District. In 1998, the crew moved to the Coeur d'Alene Ranger District in Coeur d'Alene. This move was in response to national agency direction to position the crew closer to high priority fuels and restoration work that was being done in the wildland/urban interface and within the Coeur d'Alene Basin.

The crew use to start critical training the first week of May. In 2002 we made the change to start the 3rd week of April. This has given us many opportunities. We are now able to get our 80 hours of training out of the way and be able to help the forest with their spring burning program. We have also benefited by being able to participate in suppression efforts earlier in Region 3. Traditionally our season has ended around October 9th. But the crew is always prepared to run until the 3rd week of October if there our incidents.

The Idaho Panhandle Hotshots have a rich history of safety. There has been no fatalities sense the crew existence or permanent disabilities that I have ever been made aware of. The crew currently has a streak of nine years with no lost time to personal injuries or chargeable vehicle accidents (not aware of what occurred prior to my tenure).

Memorable incidents that stick out as part of our history is the Earthquake Fire that we traveled to on September 11th, 2001. When the rest of the world was mourning the loss of so many American lives we were chasing this fire down on the Nez Pierce National Forest. Not even aware of the magnitude of the situation that had occurred but knowing in our hearts that we must stay focused and pull it together to accomplish our task. We got our butts kicked until about 2:00 a.m. when we finally were able to secure our line about 2 miles from where we originally anchored.

Hurricane Rita is another memorable incident that comes to mind. I still remember how eerie it was driving into St. Augustine, TX to be pre- positioned so we would be available to open emergency routes from the inside out. The night the hurricane hit I was second guessing my decision to preposition but we were able to make a huge difference and everything worked out well. There are many other stories where we have made a positive impact but that would become a book. The bottom line is that we are positively making a difference in the fire world and like I constantly remind my crew, "Everyday is a Holiday, and every meal is a banquet when you are an Idaho Panhandle Hotshot."

The crew logos that are attached above have been on the back of our shirt for a long time. The history of the logo is uncertain. Many times during our travel we have been approached by the public sector requesting one of our shirts. After a brief explanation what it means to be an Interagency Hotshot Crew the answer is always the same: You must be a member to receive a shirt. The other logo is on the front of our shirt and has changed a few times. Until 2002 the logo included a tree with a lightening bolt hitting it. The picture above shows how it looks today.

Lewis & Clark

2001-2005	2006-Present

Year(s)	Superintendent
2001-2004	Chris Theisen
2004-2010	Mike Noel
2011	Tyler J. Anderson (Farm) (detail)
2012-2018	Matt Holmstrom
2019-Present	William Knudsen

The Lewis & Clark Interagency Hotshot Crew has a rather short history; being one of several IHC's developed nationwide in 2001. After a regional decision was made to initiate an additional R1 IHC, the Lewis & Clark NF took the opportunity to host the L&C IHC. The name of the crew was acquired from the forest, seemingly fitting since central Montana provided the backdrop for pivotal events during the Lewis & Clark Corp of Discovery in the early 1800's.

The original logo seen above was a basic outline of Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, and Sacagawea. In the winter of '05/06 the logo was upgraded to a more colorful version and is the current logo of the crew.

Lewis & Clark IHC is based in Great Falls, Montana which is the second largest city in the state, with a population near 60,000 people. Situated in north central Montana with the Missouri River at their doorstep, the Highwood and Little Belt mountains a short drive to the east, and the Rocky Mountain Front looming immediately to the west, puts the L&C IHC in the heart of Montana.

In the inaugural year of 2001, Lewis & Clark IHC was housed and operated out of surplus housing on Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls. In the winter of 2001, a new facility adjacent to the LCF S.O. and Great Falls Fire Center was occupied, which included IHC cache, barracks, weight room, and office space.

From its conception the L&C IHC has operated as one of the nation's four training crews. Originally for the L&C IHC this meant having a compliment of 10-12 detailers, whereas currently they operate with only 1-3 detailers. The remainder of the crew configurations consist of one PFT Superintendent, one PFT Foreman (from 2001- 2004 the crew had operated with the two-foreman system), three 13/13 Squad Bosses (one operating as a Saw Boss), six 13/13 Senior Firefighters, and 10-12 seasonal employees.

Lolo

Year(s)	Superintendent
1961	Ron Stoleson
1962	Lyle Brown
1963	Jay Penney
1964-1973	George Bissonette
1974	Neil Ramberg
1975	Neil Ramberg, Kevin Brown
1976-1981	Mike Cyrus
1982	Jerry Benson
1983-1984	Don Feser
1985	Roger Christopher
1986	Don Feser
1987	Steve Betlach
1988	Greg Power
1989	Margaret Doherty
1990-?	Steve Karkanen
1994	Marshal Brown (Detail)
?-?	Steve Karkanen
2000	Holly Maloney (Detail)
?-2010	Steve Karkanen
2010-2017	Tim Laroche (2010 Detail)
2018-Present	Shawn Faiella (2018 Detail)

The Lolo Hotshots have roots in the beginnings of modern-day fire suppression history. Although the crew was officially recognized as a national shared resource in 1961 as one of the original 9 Interregional crews, the crew originated from the Blister Rust control crews (BRC) who performed important forest health mitigation work in areas affected by Blister Rust infection. These crews were used for local fire suppression assistance and because of their experience, were often requested for fire assignments outside the region. In 1961, due to the nation-wide demand for the more experienced, mobile and organized suppression crews, the Forest Service created Interregional Fire Suppression Crews. Two of these crews were placed in region 1 (Northern Rockies), one based on the Nez Perce National Forest at Slate Creek on the Salmon River (this crew no longer exists) and the other on the Lolo National Forest at Ninemile Ranger District, 30 miles west of Missoula, Montana.

From 1961-1970 the crew was based at the Ninemile Ranger District then was moved 40 miles west to the St. Regis Work Center in 1971 because the work center was not being used and could accommodate 25 people. This proved to be a logistical problem for the crew, so they moved back to Ninemile where they were based through the 1981 season. In 1982 the crew's base of operations was moved to the Missoula Ranger District where it remains today.

Crew Composition

Organization of the crew has changed significantly since 1961. In the early years (1961-1974) the crew was composed of 1 Foreman, 3 Squad leaders, a Cook and 20 Crewmembers. The Foreman (now Superintendent) was the only career appointed position on the crew. In 1974 the number of individuals assigned to the crew dropped from 25 to 20 due to aircraft configuration and changes in flight weight limitations. In 2004, the Superintendent and Assistant became permanent full-time employees, with 3 Squad Leaders, 6 Senior Firefighters and 2 Apprentices employed under 13/13 career appointments. Currently the crew operates under the 1-1-3 configuration with 6 senior PSE firefighters.

Significant Events

1980: The first woman was hired on the crew.
1989: Margaret Doherty became the first female Hotshot Crew Superintendent in the nation.
1990: ESPN documentary program "America's Wilderness" profiles crew during pre- season training and while on fire assignment. The hour-long production was broadcast worldwide on several occasions. The documentary included interviews with several crewmembers and footage of fireline operations. It gave a sense of what life on a hotshot crew is like and conveyed the diversity of both the people and the work the crew performs.
1998: CBS News 48 Hours profiles crew during Hopper Fire in Southern California and conducts follow-up interviews. Broadcast in October 1998 (received their lowest ratings ever).
2011: Steve Karkanen retired in May as the longest running Lolo IHC Superintendent.
2016: Firefighter Justin Beebe lost his life while battling the Strawberry Fire, GBNP, Nevada

Northwest

Baker River

Year(s)	Superintendent
1976-1979	Joe King
1980-1984	Gary McMillen
1985	Jim Westman
1986	Andy Gay (Parker)
1987-1990	Ken Paul
1991-1993	Otis Allen
1994-1998	Steve Cross
1999-2003	Anthony Engel
2004-2011	Kurt Ranta
2012	Rob Poyner
2013-2020	Kurt Ranta
2021	Gary Chicks

The Baker River Interagency Hotshot Crew is a highly trained Type 1 wildland fire suppression crew. Since its inception in 1976, these hard- working professionals have spent summers battling forest fires and, when needed, responding to federal emergencies around the U.S. Baker River Hotshots learn and practice critical fireline skills that rely upon communication, team-building and high-reliability concepts. This organization provides an exciting and fulfilling job for those fit enough for the challenge. The Baker River IHC has a proud history built on camaraderie, strong work ethic and mutual respect.

The Baker River Hotshots are hosted by the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest on the Mt. Baker Ranger District and stationed at Koma Kulshan Guard Station.

The crew is on call between late April and October, averaging 105 days per season on assignment. While not on fire assignments, the hotshot crew accomplishes a variety of project assignments such as prescribed burning, building and maintaining trails and performing building maintenance.

Entiat

Year(s)	Superintendent
1966-1967	Charles Wolf
1968	Ed Harlan
1969	Joe Marchbanks
1970-1971	Vern Gray
1972-1973	Lester Domingos
1974	Dave Spies
1975	Mike Cammack
1976-1979	George Marcott
1980-1985	Lonnie Williams
1986	Tar Lesmeister
1987	Matt Dahlgreen
1988-1991	Tom Fogata
1992-1993	Gabe Jasso
1994	Russ Truman
1995-1997	Gabe Jasso
1998-2006	Marshall Brown
2007	Kyle Cannon
2008-2013	Jeff Dimke
2014-2015	Matt Kennedy
2016-2019	Rob Poyner
2020-Present	Dan Pickard

The Entiat IHC began in the 1963 as a local fire suppression crew consisting of 25 members who called themselves the Bushmen. In 1966, the Bushmen became one of the first inter-regional crews (IR) in region 6. Over the years, the Bushmen became famous amongst the fire community for being tough, hard working firefighters whose specialties were line construction and vulgarity. Even today, the old fire dogs tell tales of the Bushmen.

With the taming of the Forest Service came the change in the Bushmen name to the Entiat IHC in 1983. Since that time, the Entiat IHC has been building a reputation of safe, aggressive firefighting. That reputation is constructed on a foundation of hard-working, clear-thinking crewmembers led by dedicated, experienced supervisors. The Entiat IHC consistently receives outstanding performance evaluations and enjoys a high level of respect in any fire organization.

The headquarters of the Bushmen and the Entiat IHC were originally located at a former fruit packing warehouse in the Entiat Valley. In 1983, the crew was relocated to the Steliko Workcenter on Forest Service property. Finally, in 2001, the crew move its headquarters to a new facility in Entiat near the Entiat Ranger Station.

Before reaching IR status, the first crew foreman in 1963 was Doug Bowie. His crew of 15 men was a local fire suppression resource located in the Entiat Valley. They spent most of their time fighting fire and working on projects on the district. Doug eventually became dispatch center manager for the Wenatchee dispatch.

When the crew reached IR status in 1966, Chuck Wolf was the foreman that led them there. Chuck's strong leadership style served the crew well in the first few years as they began to build their reputation throughout the west. Later, Chuck became the FMO of the Entiat Ranger District and was able to keep a watchful eye on the crew he had helped to build.

In 1976, a former smokejumper named George Marcott took over as superintendent of the Bushmen. With George at the helm, the crew could be often seen doing hard physical training in preparation for fire assignments. Numerous stories are still told about the tough assignments tackled by the Bushmen. George went on to become an FMO on the Wenatchee National Forest.

In 1980, Lonnie Williams became superintendent of the Bushmen. Lonnie's extensive fire knowledge and unique style of vulgarity became well known in the fire world. Lonnie took over as superintendent of the Winema Hotshots after leaving the crew and eventually became an FMO on the Malheur National Forest.

In 1988, a Region 5 firefighter named Tom Fogata assumed command of the Entiat IHC. Tom was a strong leader with a equally strong sense of fun. Under Tom's direction, the crew continued with a strong tradition of working hard as well as playing hard. Tom went on to become and AFMO on the Stanislaus National Forest.

In 1991, after working on the Prineville IHC, Gabe Jasso took over as superintendent. Gabe's tenure as superintendent marked the increase in the utilization of IHCS including increasing length of the fire seasons as well as increase in the number of days on assignments.

In 1998, Marshall Brown became superintendent of the Entiat IHC. As the longest running superintendent in Entiat IHC history, Marshall increased the number of days the crew was assembled which resulted in longer fire seasons, and more days on fires. Marshall also was crucial in facilities and equipment improvements that were much needed for the crew. Marshall was active in the National Steering Committee and assisted in furthering the cause of the IHCs on a national level.

Long tenured assistant superintendent and Entiat Hotshot Kyle Cannon became superintendent during the 2007 season. The season included two trips to the east coast and one to Alaska. Kyle has since moved on to become the Fire Staff Officer on the Okanogan- Wenatchee National Forest.

In 2008, Jeff Dimke began his 6-year run as the superintendent of the Entiat Hotshots. Jeff provided a new perspective having come from the Rogue River IHC and having previous service as an Army Ranger. Jeff is currently the FMO for the Spokane District BLM.

Matt Kennedy became superintendent in 2014 and finished with nearly two decades as an Entiat Hotshot during his final season in 2015. Matt oversaw the crew during two of the largest fire seasons in North Central Washington's history. Matt is currently an AFMO on the Wenatchee River District of the Okanogan- Wenatchee National Forest.

In 2016, Rob Poyner became superintendent of the Entiat Hotshots. Rob's previous IHC experience from Smokey Bear, Winema, and Baker River IHC's played an instrumental role in a productive and successful four-year stretch ending after the 2019 season. After 18 years of service in the IHC community, Rob moved on to become FMO for the North Zone of the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

Dan Pickard, the current superintendent of the Entiat Hotshots, has been with the crew since 2007.

Many former superintendents and crewmembers have gone on to become leaders in the fire suppression, aviation, and fuels community. Many of them attribute part of their career successes to their time on the Bushmen and the Entiat IHC.

La Grande

Year(s)	Superintendent
1967-1972	Rayford Gillory
1973-1976	Thomas Turner
1977-1978	John Pino
1979-1980	John Allendorf
1981	Randy Knight
1983-1989	Steve Morefield
1990	Steve Dickinson
1991-1999	Jay Rasmussen
2000-2002	John Gale
2003-2009	Willy Crippen
2009-2012	Brian Bush
2013-Present	Josh Diacetis

La Grande's roots come from the Wallowa Whitman Inter Regional Crew based out of Sled Springs Guard Station in 1967. Under the guidance of Rayford Gillory 25 firefighters engaged the North Sam Fire on the Olympic National Forest to set the groundworks of what would led to the foundation of two great crews. During the summer of 1973 under the leadership of new Superintendent Tom Turner the crew relocated to the La Grande Air Center, sharing a base with the La Grande Smoke Jumpers.1977 Superintendent John Pino hired the first female on the crew, starting a long list of females to come through La Grande on their way to successful fire careers. In 1980 the decision was made to split the IR crew overhead and form two National Interagency Shot Crews, giving birth to La Grande and Union IHC's. John Allendorf took the reins for La Grande and Greg Vergari leading Union. La Grande IHC has had a long history of providing the public and cooperating agencies a high level of service and have always been known for a strong work ethic. We are a diverse team of highly skilled and highly motivated professional fire fighters. As a team, we are dedicated to performing our jobs safely and effectively with a positive attitude. We take pride in the service we provide and strive for excellence in our performance.

Prineville

Year(s)	Superintendent
1980-1986	Wade Burleson
1986-1987	Darrell Schulte
1988-1995	Tom Shepard
1996-1997	Andy Lang
1997-2009	Lance Honda
2009-2014	James Osborne
2014-2019	Eric Miller
2020-Present	Brendan O'Reilly

The brain child of John Maupin, Fire Staff on the Ochoco Nation Forest, the "Prineville Interagency Hotshot" crew name came into existence in 1980. Under the leadership of Wade Burleson, the crew developed into a top-notch fire fighting unit. A crew logo, was designed in the early eighties and meshed well with its sister crew, the Redmond Roadrunners. The crew has had seven superintendents during its thirty years of existence. The present make-up is ten permanent seasonal employees and ten temporary employees. Some crew statistics included an average of 17 fires per season; about 90-110 days out on fires, with the average fire size about 8,000 acres.

The Prineville Hotshots are based in the city of Prineville in what is now called the Lamonta Compound, where the original Ochoco Ranger Station Office was located, about 2.5 miles from the Ochoco National Forest Supervisor's Office. There are two monuments in memory of the nine Prineville Hotshots who perished on the South Canyon Fire near Glenwood Springs, CO in 1994, one at the Prineville Hotshot base and one at Ochoco Park in Prineville. Crew offices were originally in two "older" wooden structures that were torn down in the late 80's and a doublewide trailer was brought in from the Umpqua National Forest, and served up until the winter of 2016-17 when snow and ice buildup caused the building to be condemned. The crew was in temporary office trailers for almost 18 months before two new office modular trailers were put in for crew offices, training, and storage. The crew has also established and very well designed workout room for off season training and crew workouts.

In 1980, the crew transportation was a blue school bus. Crew carriers were introduced in 1989. Those were gasoline fueled and were underpowered for what they were required to do. Diesel cabs replaced those in 1993, but the original crew carriers boxes were transferred to the diesel cabs. Prineville IHC traveled in those carriers until 2006.

They were likely the oldest crew carriers still in service until one of them just became completely unusable on the way to a fire in 2006, and was left in Sacramento, CA. A crew superintendent vehicle was added in 1992. In 2014 the crew moved up to the standard IHC crew carriers. The current fleet consists of Superintendent Truck, two Crew Carriers, one Chase truck and crew UTV.

Flights of Region 6 hotshot crews in the 80's were on Sierra Pacific Convair 580s and later 737s. Prineville flew mostly out of the Redmond Airport and boarded in front of the Redmond Smoke Jumper Base, though the crew sometimes flew out of Klamath Falls, Wenatchee or Moses Lake Airport.

Original line gear was army surplus web gear and canteens, cruisers vests and a Forest Service Red bag for personal gear. The crew ran Stihl 045s for the first few years. The crew was issued 4 3 watt Motorola radios that had 5 channel capabilities. Everyone was issued a fire shirt and a couple pair of nomex pants, a crew hard hat, canvas brush jacket and a pair of gloves. Each crew member had to purchase their own crew T-shirts and ball caps. A tent was not even a conscious thought. Today each crew member gets a full complement of the best line gear we can find, canteens and hydration systems, an oversize duffel bag for off forest dispatches, another oversize bag for line gear for airplane flights, a high quality tent, high quality sleeping bags, a thermarest sleeping pad, several different styles of safety eye wear, and gloves. Crew members still buy their own crew shirts; have the option to buy crew shorts, baseball caps, crew beanies, wind/water resistant crew jackets and hooded sweatshirts. Presently we also carry 12 radios, with 4 replacements in the vehicles, and more in reserve to account for ones needing repair. Each crew member is issued their own saw for project work.

Project work during the early years was line construction around logging units that were to be burned, trail maintenance, and some thinning and piling projects. The crew was utilized a little for prescribed fire support. In the mid 80's the crew started to work on juniper eradication projects, and some of that continues into the present. Today we still do a little line construction, and provide a good deal of support and supervision on prescribed fire projects on two forests, and the BLM.

For physical training in the first years, the crew was bussed down to the local high school football field. There would warm up, stretch for 15 minutes, then run on various paths around the city of Prineville for 3-5 miles and end up back at the football field. At several times during the run, the first person would turn around and "pick up" the last person, then continue with the run. The run would be followed by 20-30 minutes of calisthenics such as push-ups, stretches and reportedly "thousands" of crunches. In 1983 a professional trainer was hired for 3 days to provide weight training instruction and advice. Currently the crew runs between 3-6 miles at various venues, often out in the field, especially where there are hills. Weight training is also performed at various venues from the compound to a local gym, to nearby parks and in the field. The exercises range from core work outs, to strictly weight training, to calisthenics and cross-fit type workouts. If not on a fire assignment, the crew is required to take part in the Prineville Hotshot Memorial Run, in honor of former crew members from the South Canyon Fire.

In 1980, the crew superintendent and foreman were the only permanent staff members. There were two temporary squad leaders. Today, we still have a superintendent, assistant superintendent, three squad leaders and five senior fire fighters, all permanent members of the crew and 12 1039 temporary employees.

Redmond

Year(s)	Superintendent
1960-1968	Carl Rader
1968-1972	Wayne Linville
1972-1974	Byron Bonney
1975	Dave Brown
1976-1979	Richard Kreger
1980	Dave Craycroft
1981-1986	Tim Sexton
1987-1993	Andy Parker
1994	Steve Dickenson
1995-1996	Andy Parker
1996	Lance Honda
1997-1999	John Holcomb
2000-2002	Doug Johnson
2003-2005	Deb Blais
2006-2011	Mike Muehlbauer
2012	Chris Buhrig (detail)
2013-2017	Neil Austin
2017	James Pursell (detail)
2018-2022	Gabe Mason

The Redmond Hotshot Crew, located in Redmond Oregon, is housed at the Redmond Air Center and supported by the Pacific Northwest Training Center. They were the first interregional fire suppression crew established by the Forest Service in the Pacific Northwest Region, in August of 1960. This crew functioned as a regular Type I hotshot crew, with temporary crewmembers, from 1960 through 1980. In 1981 the crew was converted to a developmental training detail crew. California's Redding Hotshot Crew was the first to use developmental detail training for permanent employees assigned to an IHC - it was established in 1967. The number of applicants though, far exceeded the slots. The program's popularity - along with a 1977 fire fatality of an AFMO on the Okanogan N.F. in WA State supported the establishment of a detail crew in the Pacific Northwest.

The Redmond Interagency Hotshot Crew is permanently staffed with seven positions. The Superintendent coordinates training classes, instructors, instructing and training assignments on both fuels and wildland fire assignments, and overall management of the detail training program. The two Assistant Superintendents are responsible for supervision of the crew on fire and fuels assignments, mentoring the crew boss trainees, and assists in instructing courses and coordinating classes. The two Squad Leaders mentor squad leader trainees and assist in instructing courses and coordinating classes. The two Lead Firefighters provide mentorship.

The remainder of the crew is comprised of 16 detailers of which are Forest Service, BLM, USFWS, NPS, BIA and State Land Management Agencies. Redmond IHC has a strong desire to continue interagency training and collaboration into the future.

The crew is primarily focused on leadership development and team building.

Rogue River

Original Logo	Current Logo

Year(s)	Superintendent
2001-2011	Randy Lehman
2012-Present	Aaron Schuh

The Rogue River Hotshots are hosted by the Rogue River - Siskiyou National Forest and are located on the High Cascades Ranger District in Prospect Oregon. The Rogue River Hotshots were founded in 2001 under the National Fire Plan spurred on by the large fire seasons of 1999 and 2000. Randy Lehman was selected as the first Superintendent for the crew; he had previously been the Superintendent for the Winema Hotshots. Randy was instrumental in getting the program off the ground and remained as the Superintendent until he retired in the summer of 2011 after serving 11 seasons on the crew. Aaron Schuh took over as Superintendent in 2012 after coming over from Klamath Hotshots and is still in this position today.

Each year we strive to build on the legacy put forth by past crewmembers, always adhering to our core motto of attitude and effort. As a crew we will deliver a professional, safe and hardworking hotshot crew, we will provide leadership through our actions. The Rogue River Hotshots promote crewmembers that are untiringly hardworking, selfless, safety orientated, respectful, accountable, self- motivated, possess situational intelligence and maintain their mental toughness under any condition or overcoming any obstacle. Our crew's strength comes from our ability to work together as a tight knit, highly cohesive unit, in which 25 individuals share the same common goals and values; we expect honesty, direct communication and a willingness to influence for the betterment of the crew.

The Original Rogue River Hotshot logo was designed by our first Superintendent and reflects our forest scenery, with the Cascade Range in the background, forested hills in the foreground and the Rogue River as the centerpiece. The Current Logo is was a collaborative effort from past and current Rogue River Hotshots. The logo is centered around Mount McLoughlin, the most prominent feature on the district.

Union

Original IR Crew Logo	Current Logo

Year(s)	Superintendent
1980-1987	Greg Vergari
1988-1995	Tom Wordell
1996-2006	Dan Fiorito
2007-2016	Jody Prummer
2017-Present	Eric Jorgensen

Union Interagency Hotshot Crew was established in 1980 when the Wallowa-Whitman Inter-Regional Hotshot Crew (est.1967) was divided into two crews.

The original IR crew was located at Sled Springs on the northern end of the forest. In 1973 the IR crew moved to Union County Airport located in La Grande.

Located in the city of La Grande, Oregon; the Union Hotshots and our sister crew the La Grande Hotshots are the only Forest Service crews in the lower 48 states that share a common base and facility.

In 2005 Union moved into a new facility next to the Air Tanker Base at the Union County Airport. The new facility replaces an old doublewide trailer that had housed the crew for almost three decades.

The crew's first fire assignment was the Emerald Lake Fire on the Nez Perce National Forest in Idaho.

The original crew overhead structure consisted of a Permanent Full Time (PFT) GS-7 Superintendent and one Seasonal GS-6 Assistant Superintendent. In 1987 the Assistant Superintendent was converted from a seasonal position to an 18-8 Permanent Seasonal Employee position (PSE).

Since 2001 when crew went to 110-day available season with the national direction the crew has averaged 16 fires a year with 95 days spent on assignments. Since 2017 the days spent on assignment has increased largely due to the crew starting critical training a month sooner (April) to an average of 115 days on assignment. The crew now spends more days on RX fires in R-6 each year, so we support the needs of the Region and the different Forests throughout R-6.

The original logo was a triangle with fire in the center and Union Interagency Hotshots written on the outside of the triangle legs. The crew logo was changed in 1988 to feature the head of a Goshawk (an aggressive forest bird of prey) in a circle with the crew name printed around the outside.

Vale

Year(s)	Superintendent
1997-2002	Rick Roach
2003-2018	Bart Yeager
2019-Presemt	Glenn Heitz

In 1997 the BLM established the Vale Hotshots. The Vale District is located in Eastern Oregon and was chosen to host the Vale IHC because of its capability to operate and maintain a National Resource; and is geographically located within 2 hours of the Boise Jet port, and with the availability of recruiting from the National SRV Program for diversity and trained firefighters. Rick Roach was the first Superintendent. Rick hired and trained the Hotshot Crew the first season and the crew was available for its first fire assignment June 14th, 1997.

Rick supervised the crew from 1997 to 2002 and in 2003 Bart Yeager was hired as the Superintendent. The crew was in a training status for the first season and has been on and off training status since, due to the difficulty maintaining overhead positions and personnel qualified for key positions. In 2002 the crew started to operate with 23 people and an additional Type 6 Engine was added to the fleet in order to strengthen suppression actions and mitigate training needs for the crew. The additional crewmembers and engine proved to be a valuable asset to the crew's production and training needs.

In 2018 Bart Yeager retired as the Superintendent. He now resides in Riggins ID where he is enjoying retirement, hunting, fishing in the heart of Idaho.

Glenn Heitz was hired as superintendent in the spring of 2019. Glenn joined the crew in 2005 as a squad leader. He moved up the Assistant Supt. in 2009 and assisted Bart up to his retirement.

The crew starts Critical Training the first or second week of May and the crew ends around the first or second week of October. Since 1997 the District has used the PFT's and PSE's for early and late season project work when funding and projects become available.

The crew has been dispatched to the following States for Fire Suppression. (Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, South Dakota, Florida, and Canada.)

Warm Springs

Year(s)	Superintendent
1984-1987	Michael Gomez
1988-2003	Luther Clements
2004-2008	Tony Holliday Sr.
2009-Present	Gary Sampson Jr.

The Warm Spring Inter-Agency Hotshot Crew was initially developed as an employment opportunity program through Forestry on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation in 1984. Research had shown a need for a forest improvement crew which may also develop into a firefighting unit. This prototype became the forest crew.

It was recognized by Warm Springs Fire Management that an opportunity existed to develop this crew for firefighting assignments. Negotiations began with the Geographical area coordination center and Warm Springs Fire Management to make this crew available for national wild land fire suppression. The Warm Springs forest crew became available as a type 2 wild land firefighting organization during their initial season of operation.

Located in Warm Springs OR, the Warm Springs IHC crew began as a 20 person Forest Crew. This forest crew was initially funded thru contracts with Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs and neighboring agencies with an understanding that the crew will become sufficient in the near future by working on miscellaneous contract work throughout the Region. This system was successful in the development of the Warm Springs IHC.

After two successful fire seasons as a type 2 crew, and with the support of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, the organization elected to pursue Type 1 IHC status. From 1986 to 1987 the Warm Springs Forest Crew operated on a two year probationary period in Region 6. In March of 1988 the Warm Springs Agency Forest Crew was recognized thru NIFC as a Type 1 Inter-Agency hotshot crew, the second Bureau of Indian Affairs Hotshot crew in the nation.

The Warm Springs Hotshots historically and currently are predominantly members of the Confederated Tribes but also consist of married into the tribes, other Natives and non-Natives.

Once fire season is complete for the year, the crew is utilized throughout the community of Warm Springs for various types of projects such as tree thinning, slashing/lopping, hazard fuel reduction, prescribed fire, other community events consist of Cutting and distributing firewood for the senior citizens of Warm Springs, deliver holiday food baskets and assist with local community school district FUNCTIONS.

Winema

Year(s)	Name	Location
1962-1969	Star I.R. Suppression Crew	Applegate RD Rogue River NF
1970-1979	Rogue River I.R. Suppression Crew	Prospect RD Rogue River NF
1980-1981	Prospect IHC	Prospect RD Rogue River NF
1982-present	Winema IHC	Klamath RD Fre-Win NF

Year(s)	Superintendent
1962-1965	Pete Gregory
1966	Edward Graham
1967-1968	Darrel Hawkins
1969	Bob Foster
1970-1971	Roy Skelton
1972	Richard Bonney
1973-1974	Dale Alter
1975	Don Bailey
1976	Mike Monahan
1977-1978	John Funderberg
1979	John (Woody) Haas
1980-1983	Gene Rogers
1984-1985	Andy Gay (Parker)
1986	Lonnie Williams
1987	Larry Decker
1988-1991	Dale Cuyler
1992-2000	Randy Lehman
2001-2002	James Hampton
2003	Neil Austin
2004-2006	James Hampton
2007-2012	Neil Austin
2013-2019	David G. Lilly
2020-Present	Karl Krauter

The Winema Interagency Hotshot Crew (IHC) is stationed in south central Oregon on the Fremont- Winema National Forest. The crew is based at the Klamath Ranger Station in Klamath Falls, which is located on the east slope of the Cascade Mountains.

The Winema IHC traces its roots back to 1962 when the Star Inter- Regional Fire Suppression Crew was formed at the Star Ranger Station on the Applegate Ranger District of the Rogue River National Forest.

In 1970, the crew was moved to the Union Creek Guard Station on the Prospect Ranger District. They remained at Union Creek through the 1981 season.

After the relocation, the crew's name was changed to the Rogue River Interregional Fire Suppression Crew or the "Rogue River Roughriders," as they were more commonly called. Their logo, currently, was a cowboy on a bucking horse.

In the summer of 1979, the crew traveled with 21 people. One of the crew members was a photojournalist from the National Geographic Society. His photographs later appeared in a September 1982 issue of the magazine accompanying an article on wildfire. The Roughriders also earned a Region 6 cash award for fireline performance in 1979.

The crew was renamed the Prospect Interagency Hotshot Crew in 1980, because of the U.S. Forest Service standardizing all hotshot crew names. The crew's name was based on the Prospect Ranger District.

In 1982, the crew moved to Klamath Falls and the Winema National Forest. It was renamed the "Winema Interagency Hotshot Crew." The Tasmanian Devil (drawn by a crewmember's father) became the Winema IHC logo in 1984.

In 2022 Winema was selected to be one of the pilot crew under the national IHC modernization efforts. The crew will test a 30-person model that is 22 permanent and 8 seasonal employees through 2024.

Crew Logo's and shirt designs

1970-1979 Blue shirt with "Rogue River Roughriders" logo, patch was of a bucking horse and rider.
1980-1981 Same logo as years before, but "Prospect IHC" instead of RR Roughriders.
1982 Pelican on green shirt.
1983 "Winema Hotshots" on front of green shirt.
1984-1988 Silver Tasmanian Devil on blue shirt.
1989-1991 Taz with legs on blue shirt.
1991-2000 Taz with "tornado" legs on blue shirt.
2001 shirts changed to integrate all previous logos to comemorate the 40th anniversary.
2006 shirts changed to written logo stating "Winema Hotshots R-6".
2013 returned to using the Taz logo on blue shirts.

Wolf Creek

Year(s)	Superintendent
1976-1996	Richard Aguilar
1997-2001	Chris Theison
2002	Chris Chiverton (acting)
2003	Alan Andrews (Detail)
2004-2005	Clyde Johnson
2006	Adam Veale
2007	Ken Gregor (Detail)
2008-2014	Eric Miller
2014	Dean Whitney (Detail)
2014-Present	Jake Garate

The Wolf Creek Interagency Hotshot Crew was born out of the Wolf Creek Job Corps Center South of Glide Oregon in 1976. Job Corps was designed to assist young people who both need and can benefit from the wide range of services provided in the residential setting of a Job Corps Center. These services include basic education, vocational skills training, work experience, counseling, health care and related support services. There are several Job Corps Centers located around the country operated by the Department of Agriculture and Interior. Most of these centers have provided AD firefighters and fire camp crews. In 1976, Wolf Creek started organizing a regular Forest Service Fire Crew with the intentions of developing an Interagency Hotshot Crew.

Serious skepticism greeted Wolf Creeks attempt to make fire fighters out of young, inexperienced Job Corps trainees. Wolf Creek officials had a field of 240 prospects and months of time to whip the best of them into Hotshot shape. Richard Aguilar, the first Superintendent started a program called Hell Week to separate the Hotshots from the rest. There was traditionally two Hell Weeks, the first in mid-April and the second in mid-June. The second one was for students that didn't' make the first one to challenge for a spot on the crew.

The students first day consisted of a 1.5 mile run before lunch and a 10.5 mile run after lunch. They must run the 1.5 mile run in less than eleven minutes and the 10.5 mile run in less than one hour and thirty minutes. Day two started with stretches and calisthenics followed by a fifteen-mile forced up the scenic Thunder Mountain Road and ended back at the Center. Days three and four consisted of lots of digging fire line around control burn units with little rest and little food simulating conditions on a fire. The last day students are required to do calisthenics for the day, pushups, pull ups, sit ups and the step test. Only the best performers of Hell Week are selected to be members of the crew.

In 1985 Wolf Creek obtained Type 1 status and became an Interagency Hotshot Crew. Since the crew remains available year-round, they were able to extend their availability service wide, beyond the normal fire season.

Richard Aguilar was the Superintendent from the program's inception in 1976 up until 1996. Chris Theisen became the Superintendent next and was the Supt up until 2001 when he left to start up Lewis and Clark IHC in Region 1 under the National Fire Plan. In 2002 the program struggled and lost their IHC status, student numbers were dropping, and it was hard to find quality people. Chris Chiverton was the acting Supt in 2002. In 2003 Clyde Johnson took over the program. The program was struggling for several reasons, lack of students, and changes in direction with the National Interagency Hotshot Guide which required permanent overhead, fewer rookies, and higher qualifications. In 2005 the crew looked outside the Job Corps and started hiring regular 1039 Forestry Technicians to balance out the crew and regained their Type 1 status. At this time management and oversight of the crew was transferred to the Umpqua National Forest and the North Umpqua Ranger District and was supervised by the District Fire Management Officer. Adam Veale was the Assistant Superintendent from 2003-2005 and became the Superintendent in 2006, leaving in 2007 to become the Assistant Fire Management Officer on the North Umpqua Ranger District. Eric Miller was hired as the Superintendent in 2008 and held the position until 2014. Jake Garate was hired as Superintendent in the fall of 2014 and currently still holds the title. In the spring of 2015, the crew moved to Roseburg where they have made a home at the Fleet shop.

Over the years the Wolf Creek IHC has gone through many changes, some big and some small. The original crew logo of a wolf running towards burning trees with tools in hand on a bright orange shirt has been changed. The logo shows a wolf howling on a rock under the full moon. The crew colors were bright orange from 1976 until 2005 then changed to black briefly. In 2008 the crew adopted the burnt orange as their color with the newer logo.

Zigzag

Year(s)	Superintendent
Early 1960s	Don Vandenberg
1975	Lee Englesby
1976	Bill Erickson
1977-1978	Roddy Baumann
1979-1990	Paul Gleason
1991-2000	Gina Papke
2001-2016	Diego Mendiola
2017	Tomas Rivero, James Meisner
2018-Present	Devin Parks

The roots of the Zigzag Interagency Hotshot Crew stretch back to the early 1960s, when the Mt. Hood National Forest's Zigzag Ranger District hosted the 12-person "Zigzag Fire Suppression Crew." This multi-purpose line-digging crew responded to fires, but also helped build and maintain forest trails and recreation sites. Don Vandenberg, who would become the Zigzag District's AFMO in the 1970s, ran this crew. It was based out of the Summit Bunkhouse in Government Camp.

In 1975, the Zigzag District started a 20-person "Regional Reinforcement" crew known as "The Mt. Hood RR Crew." Supervised by Lee Englesby, the crew was based out of Snow Bunny Lodge, just east of Government Camp. In 1976, the crew moved farther east---still in the Zigzag Ranger District---to the Boy Scout's White River Lodge under Bill Erickson's supervision. A pioneering woman firefighter, Kimberly Brandel, was a member of this crew---its very first and only female. (She had worked as a fill-in on the crew the previous year.) Kimberly would be on the crew for the next five years.

In 1977 and 1978, under Roddy Baumann's leadership, the crew transitioned into a 20-person "Inter-Regional" fire crew, called "The Mt. Hood IR Crew." In 1977, Deborah Schnell became the second woman to be on the crew.

In 1979, the crew became the Zigzag Interagency Hotshot Crew---which it remains today. The Zigzag Hotshots' Kimberly Brandel became the first woman in the nation to be a member of an Interagency Hotshot Crew.

That same year, Paul Gleason---who would become the originator of the national LCES safety program that he started at Zigzag---came onboard as the IHC's second superintendent. While cancer claimed Gleason's life in 2003, his national wildland fire legacy continues to burn bright.

Gleason started his wildland fire career with southern California's Dalton Hotshot Crew on the Angeles National Forest. Dalton's crew colors were, and still are, red and black. Paul continued that color scheme at Zigzag. The crew's official---and proud---colors are still red and black today.

Gleason experienced the potential risks of the wildland fire environment firsthand. He was with the Dalton Hotshots on the fatality Loop Fire in 1966, and he saved a life on the Dude Fire tragedy of 1990. At the end of the 1990 season---after 11 years as Zigzag IHC's superintendent---Paul left the crew to continue his wildland fire career in Colorado.

In 1991, Gina Papke then took over the Zigzag Hotshot leadership reins, becoming the first female IHC superintendent in the nation.

Papke served as superintendent through the 2000 fire season, when Diego Mendiola---from the Mendocino IHC in California---replaced her. Upon his retirement in 2017, Mendiola was honored with the Paul Gleason Leadership Award. Longtime Zigzag captains James Meisner and Tomas Rivero filled the superintendent void in 2017 before Devin Parks---formerly a captain for Rogue River IHC---moved to Zigzag to become its fifth superintendent in four decades.

While the world might change, the Zigzag Interagency Hotshot Crew remains constant: same location, same traditions, and always tough!

Operations Northern California

American River

Year(s)	Superintendent
2005-2008	Charlotte Wild Jordan
2008-2016	Adam Leyba
2016-Present	Matt Radtke

The American River Hotshot are based on the Tahoe National Forests American River Ranger District. The American River Ranger District was formerly the Foresthill Ranger District. The American River Hotshots received Hotshot certification in 2005. Before 2005 the American River/Foresthill Ranger District had some form of a crew from 10 man brush disposal crews to Type 2 and Type 2IA crews since the 60s. The goal of the American River Hotshots is to uphold the standards and traditions of the Hotshot Community.

Beckwourth

Year(s)	Superintendent
2017‐Present	Mike Wintch

Prior to the 2001 MEL funding build‐up, the crew existed as two fuel modules. One was based at the Beckwourth Ranger District office in Blairsden and the other on the east side of the District at the Laufman Work Center. In 2003 the crews were combined and became Plumas Crew 1, Type 2 I.A. crew and the following year named the Beckwourth Handcrew after the district it serves. From 2004 until 2006 overhead positions remained unfilled keeping the crew staffed as a Type 2 I.A. crew. 2006 was the first year the crew's overhead was staffed at Type 1 IHC standards and on the boards as an IHC training crew. In May of 2007 the Beckwourth Handcrew obtained Hotshot certification and lasted until the winter of 2007/2008, when the majority of the Overhead promoted or moved on and the crew was down staffed to a Type 2 I.A. crew.

The Beckwourth Handcrew in 2016 once again filled all of the overhead positions as required by the SIHCO and began planning for certification pending an imbedded review, for the 2017 fire season. On September 22, 2017 the Beckwourth Handcrew re‐obtained Type 1 IHC status.

Diamond Mountain

Year(s)	Superintendent
1992	Mike Bowles
1993-2001	Kurt LaRue
2001-2005	Ed Merrill
2006-2008	Steve Shaw
2009-Present	Dan Varney

The Diamond Mountain Interagency Hotshot Crew were born in the spring 1992 under the guise of increasing the Bureau of Land Management's commitment to contribute resources to the national fire suppression. The crew was the second BLM hotshot crew in California and the fifth crew in the nation. The Diamond Mountain Range west of Susanville, CA lends to its name to the crew as its rocky crest provide a constant visual reminder and keeps a watchful eye upon the high desert.

The original 1992 crew spawned from Crew 3221, the Initial Attack Dawgs, a 10-person initial attack crew that worked in and around Susanville in 1990 and 1991. Mike Minton was offered a JATC position in the spring of 1992 and became the first official of the "soon to be" hotshot crew. An unlikely cast of characters joined Minton for the 1992 season including Mike Bowles, who was hires as the first superintendent, and Kevin Chambers who was selected as the foreman. The Northern California Regional Fire Staff in Susanville supervised the 1992 crew. The 1992 crew season saw many growing pains as the aspired to become a well-respected crew in a region well known for its hotshot crews. The crew responded to twenty incidents in a busy '92 fire season including the 68,000-acre Fountain Fire in Shasta County. Extra curricular events during the Cleveland Fire in late September led to a change in supervision for the crew for the 1993 season

Kurt LaRue was hired as new Superintendent in the fall of 1992 and reported soon thereafter, with supervision of the crew being shifted to the present-day Eagle Lake Field Office in Susanville. Kurt brought many years of experience to his new crew after a long stint with the Stanislaus, Horseshoe and Fulton Hotshots. Kurt retained Chambers as foremen and added Ken Henson as a second. A new image was forged along with many new faces for the 1993 season, many of which became mainstays within the crew and contributed much to the present day success and reputation of the crew including Keith Barker, Robert Holt, and Edward Merrill. 1993 also saw rise to 'MO', the PT hill still utilized by the crew to this day. The crew completed a successful 1993 fire season and built a formable foundation by which to continue into the future. Twenty years later, the crew continues to deliver a quality product and achieve success following the ideals and beliefs of our earlier years.

Minton designed the first crew logo, and like much of the 1992 crew only lasted one season. A new logo and a new crew color were ready for the 1993 season, but failed to meet the approval of the new superintendent. 9914 finally saw a logo very much similar to the logo of today. Minton was again responsible for this logo and it was printed upon dark charcoal shirts, which also remain in 2007. The logo was modified in 1995 wit the adding of the "old English" script. The last modification to the Diamond Mountain logo was made in 1999 by adding "Malum Necessarium".

The original crew utilized a make shift station in the BLM yard until they finally found a home in 1995 and moved into the old Caltrans building on Main Street in Susanville. It was a suitable facility and the crew called it home until 2003 when Caltrans decided to put the building up for sale, thus ending one of the greatest lease deals in history at $200.00 a month. After a tiresome search, Superintendent Merrill finally secured a new home south of Susanville near the airport in the Turner Complex. The new facility offered a few upgrades with indoor plumbing and heating and actual office space. 2004 again saw the crew move supervision, moving back to working under the fire staff of NORCAL BLM. The crew moved their new home new and current home, The Hidden Valley Fire Facility, lying within the shadow of 'MO', in August 2009.

Crew transportation was originally compromised of a mismatched fleet of GSA vehicles that finally left for good in1995 season. Borrowed, green, Forest Service crew hauls found their way to Susanville from the Tahoe and Stanislaus for the 1994 season. The crew quietly converted them to BLM vehicles by applying our trademark, magnetic logo to the doors. The crew took delivery of their new yellow crew hauls in 1996 and continually modified them until they were replaced in 2003 by shiny new buggies. The old buggies were unique with their ergonomically designed windows, rear suicide door, and cleverly mounted exhaust. The exhaust won acclaim from the ground support personnel across the west as the crew attempted to demob incidents. This year we lost Jake Garate; he accepted the superintendent position of the Wolf Creek IHC. Garrett Dunn is the crew Foreman since April of 2015.

Eldorado

Year(s)	Superintendent
1981	Milt Clark
1982-1988	Barry Callenberger
1989-1995	Greg Keller
1996-2010	Mike Beckett
2010-2015	Will Harris
2016-2019	Aaron Humphrey
2019-present	Ben Strahan

On May 19, 1981, Lynn Biddison, director of Aviation and Fire Management initiated the Eldorado Hotshots. Up until 1976, all four districts on the Eldorado National Forest maintained a ten- person fire suppression crew. In 1977 the Amador District gave up their crew, which in turn was absorbed by the Placerville District. The two hand crews were combined to form a single 20- person crew. They shared common transportation and days off. The crew was known as the Sly Park Fire Suppression Crew. During the winter of 1980, the Eldorado National Forest proposed to Region Five to change this crew into a Type 1-fire crew; on May 19, 1981, the crew became the Eldorado Hotshot Crew, to be stationed at Sly Park on the Placerville Ranger District. The Hotshots designed and constructed their own facility, including men's and women's barracks, laundry facility, office and workshop.

The first Superintendent was Milt Clark. He was detailed into the position during this first fire season. During the fall of 1981, the Palomar Hotshots became victim to a reduction in the workforce. Their displaced Superintendent, Barry Callenberger, found a home on the Eldorado Hotshots for the 1982 fire season and stayed with the crew until 1988.

In the winter of 1989, Greg Keller, who had been the foreman from 1981 to 1988, became the next Superintendent. He held the position until 1995, when he decided to move on to greener pastures in Idaho as a Battalion Chief.

The winter of 1995 brought on a change of leadership as Mike Beckett became Superintendent. After details in the 2009 and 2010 fire season as Division Chief, Mike officially became the South Division Chief of the El Dorado National Forest in July 2010.

In the winter of 2010, Will Harris, who had been Captain from 2004 to 2010, accepted the Superintendent job in November. Will had previously detailed into the Superintendent position during the 2009 and 2010 fire seasons.

Fire season 2015 started with Will detailed as Battalion 61 finishing as Division 6. Aaron Humphrey detailed as Superintendent. That fall Will moved on from 15 years with the crew accepting the Georgetown Division Chief position. New leadership was ushered in by Aaron Humphrey accepting the Superintendent position in December 2015.

In 2019 after serving 20 years on the Eldorado Hotshots, Aaron Humphrey left the crew and Forest Service, to pursue a life outside the agency. It was at this time that Ben Strahan took over the crew, and he is currently the Superintendent of the Eldorado Hotshots.

Elk Mountain

Year(s)	Superintendent
2003-2004	Grant Montgomery
2005	Jon Teutrine
2006-2007	Bret Murphy
2008-2010	Richard Tingle
2011	Donovan Lee
2012-2014	Cheveyo Munk
2015	Kyle Betty (detail)
2016-Present	Reymundo Reyes

The Elk Mountain Hotshots is hosted by the Upper Lake Ranger District on the Mendocino National Forest in Upper Lake, California. The crew was established in 2002 under the MEL build up in Region Five. The crew was originally known as Mendo 49. In 2003 the name Elk Mountain Handcrew was established after a local mountain. While on forest the crew's official name is Crew 4.

In June 2009 a regional certification team came and certified the Crew becoming Elk Mountain Hotshots.

Feather River

Year(s)	Superintendent
2003-Present	Robert Daniels

The Feather River hotshots were established April, 2003. In 2001 the Plumas National Forest got the funding for two additional twenty person Type 1 Crews, and seeing the need for a Type 1 crew on the west side of the forest the decision was made to place one of these crews on the Feather River Ranger District. The year prior the funding was for a 10 person fire crew this crew was called Crew 3 and was put into service May of 2001 but due to overhead turnover this crew was disbanded.

The Feather River Hotshots operated as a Type 2 Handcrew for the first two years until August, 2005 when they officially got there Hotshot status. The Hotshot Certification team consisted of: Deputy Fire Chief and Team leader-Don Will from the Tahoe National Forest, Division Chief Scott Brockman from the Mendocino National forest, and Division Chief Mike Cherry from the Tahoe National Forest. Upon Completion of the Certification Don Will presented the crew with a railroad spike he removed from a tree during the field portion of the certification. He presented this spike to the crew to represent the old saying "Driving the Spike". After this we implemented the Spike in our crew emblem to remind us to "always drive the Spike". Our Crew Emblem also represents the Feather River which our district is named after.

The first 3 years the Crew transportation consisted of 3 six pack pick-up trucks and one holdover ½ ton pick-up truck as a supt. Rig. During this period there was sufficient funding for supplies but new buggies and superintendent rig were ordered late so these were still a year or two out. Management on the district played a critical role in keeping the crew when there was talk about two 10-persen crews on the forest in lieu of.

Klamath

Year(s)	Superintendent
2001-2019	Johnny Clem
2017	Andy Zink (Detailed)
2018	Kevin Smyth (Detailed)
2019-Present	Andrew Zink

The Klamath Hotshots were established as part of the National Fire Plan in response to the devastating fires of 2000. The maximum efficiency level (MEL) for the Klamath National Forest called for the addition of an Interagency Hotshot Crew and the Oak Knoll Work Center was selected as the host site. Johnny Clem was selected as the superintendent of the Klamath IHC, and was able to gain certification as an IHC in August of the crew's first year. Transportation for the crew was originally "six packs" provided by the forest. Mid-way through the first year the crew took delivery of two new International crew hauls.

In, 2003, the crew was able to complete the construction of two new bunkhouses with rooms for up to 18 personnel.

In 2009, the overhead moved out of the barn, which had served as the crew's office since its inception and into a modular office space with room for training. Until this time all classes facilitated by the crew were held in the local Klamath River Community Hall. And the next year in 2010, two new crew hauls and a new superintendent vehicle were delivered to the base. Those vehicles continue to log numerous miles responding to emergency incidents around the nation today.

The crew continued to expand with the opening of a new KIHC office on the Oak Knoll compound in 2013. It provides more space for gear storage, and additionally a squad room that hosts the Squad leaders and Senior Firefighters to work and have non-formal meetings. The new building delivers a comfortable work environment year-round as the training room facilitates not only the Crew but the District, and forest staff. Along with the new office there is a saw shop, welding and tool room built to accommodate the growing needs of the crew.

In 2019, the crew saw the end of an era with long time, and original, superintendent Johnny Clem accepting the position of Deputy District Ranger for KNF Happy Camp/Oak Knoll. However, the tradition continues to be carried on with the hiring of Andrew Zink as the new superintendent. Andy, better known as "Butters," originally begin with the crew in 2002, moving up through the ranks as Apprentice, Senior, Squad Boss, and Captain over his career. Adding to the depth of the overhead the crew has welcomed Isaac Flattley as Captain to counterpart Kevin Smyth.

For physical training the crew can often be found hiking its PT hill behind the Oak Knoll Work Center. Red Line, the Repeater and The Wall are a few of the more memorable spots that can be found along the way. A few new hikes have been added since the crew's first year, but the original route up the hill is still in use to this day. A fully equipped workout facility in a reclaimed building on the compound, pull-up bars and volleyball court are available to the crew for additional physical training.

Lassen

Year(s)	Superintendent
1974-1977	Don Wallace
1977-1978	Joe Carvello
1980-2002	Jim Jimenez (retired in place)
1997	Stan Kubota (detailed)
2003-2006	John Bristow
2007	Mike Sherman (detailed)
2008	Allen Schultze (detailed)
2009-2014	Fred Brewster
2015-Present	Allen Schultze

The Lassen Hotshots were formed in the summer of 1974. The crew was placed at Bogard Work Center on the Eagle Lake Ranger District of the Lassen National Forest. Don Wallace was named the first superintendent of the Lassen Hotshots. Don ran the crew until 1977, at which time Joe Carvelo took over. Due to a budget crisis in 1978, the crew, along with numerous others, was shut down. This was known as "Black Friday" in the hotshot world. Due to a very active fire season in 1979, and the lack of appropriate resources to deal with the many fires, the decision was made to bring back several of the disbanded crews.

So in April of 1980, the Lassen Hotshots came back to life under the leadership of Jim "Jaime" Jimenez. Lassen was one of the first crews to travel to Alaska in the 1980's, and along with the El Dorado Hotshots, the first to fight fire internationally in Canada. Also, Lassen has hosted numerous international firefighters from Chile, India and Australia.

For twenty-two years Jaime served as the Lassen Hotshot Superintendent, training captains, squad leaders, and countless crewmembers. Many of these hotshots returned to honor Jaime in the spring of 2003, along with friends, family and several other hotshot superintendents for his retirement party. Throughout his long and prolific career Jaime exemplified the hotshot work ethic of never quitting, always challenging himself and those around him, and by putting honesty, duty and integrity above all else.

In that tradition, John Bristow was chosen as the next Superintendent prior to the 2003 fire season. John service as superintendent lasted until the spring of 2007 when detailing to the Fire Management Officer position for the Almanor Ranger District, and going on to accept the position in the spring of 2008.

In the spring of 2009, Fred Brewster was selected as the next Superintendent. Fred's dedication and service as superintendent saw the crew thru six seasons of hard work, tradition, and many fun and exciting shifts to the end of the 2014 fire season. With Fred's long respected career as a California Hotshot behind him, Fred will continue to be a prolific leader as an Air Attack out of the Chester Air Base.

With the beginning of 2015, we find Allen Schultze as the new Superintendent to carry the Lassen Hotshot tradition into the future.

The Lassen Hotshots are proud to be a part of the California Hotshot community. We continually strive for excellence and to uphold our interagency hotshot crew values.

Mad River

Year(s)	Superintendent
2001-2002	Tim Diaz
2002-2003	George Mason
2003-2009	Ernie Weber
2009	Don Perez
2010	Ernie Villa
2011-Present	Tad Hair

The Mad River Handcrew has been proudly serving the U.S. Forest Service since it was established in 2001 on the Mad River Ranger District, of the Six Rivers National Forest as a type II training Hotshot crew. The crew reached its long time goals and achieved its IHC status in May of 2013. Tenacity and perseverance are the two words that best describe the character of the crew. The crew will uphold the tradition of being professional wildland firefighters and will diligently support the overall mission of the United States Forest Service while, protecting life, property and our natural resources.

The crew overhead structure consists of seven career positions, one GS-462-09 Superintendent with two GS-462-08 Captains, two GS-462-07 Squad Leaders , four GS- 462-05 Lead Firefighters, and up to thirteen employees; comprised of temporary seasonal, detailers, and apprentices.

Mendocino

Year(s)	Superintendent
1974-1977	Bob Moore
1978	Rusty Witwer
1980-1986	Jerry Barney
1987-1988	Larry Edwards
1988-1994	Don Will
1995-2000	Bill Pierce
2001-2006	Daren Dalrymple
2007-2015	Jon Tishner
2015-2019	Chris Markey
2020-Present	Ernest Ceccon

Like several other IHC's the Mendocino Hotshots were established in 1974 under the direction of Superintendent Bob Moore. During the first year the crew was split into two locations on the same district. Ten people were in Alder Springs and ten were located approximately forty miles away, in Stonyford, due to facility constraints. In 1975 all members were brought together and placed in Alder Springs, where they remained through the 1986 season.

During the twelve years at Alder Springs the crew had two other men lead them. In 1978 Rusty Witwer took over as Superintendent for the 1978-79 seasons until he left to become the Hobart Hotshot Superintendent. During the remaining six seasons of the Alder Springs era the crew was led by Superintendent Jerry Barney (1980-1986).

In 1987 the crew was moved back to the base of the Coast Range in Stonyford, California. With the change in locations came a change in Superintendents. Larry Edwards was hired as Superintendent and remained in that position for the 1987 and part of the 1988 season.

Don Will took over as Superintendent during the 1988 season. Don took the crew through the remainder of its first 20 years. Don was the Superintendent for a total of six seasons and left the crew after the 1994 season.

Bill Pierce was hired as the Superintendent in 1995. With this change in Superintendents came changes in the crew logo and crew colors. The Mendocino color went from blue to black in 1996. Bill remained superintendent thru the 2000 fire season.

In 2001, due to lack of qualified supervision, the hotshot crew status was temporarily removed. Rich Rushforth was then detailed into the Superintendent position to keep the crew on and fighting fire. The traditional Mendocino Hotshot logo and colors of Navy blue were then brought back, and it remains that way today.

Daren Dalrymple was hired as the Superintendent in October of 2001. Additional qualified, permanent overhead was hired before the 2002 season and the Interagency Hotshot crew status was regained with a lot of hard work and pride during the 2002 fire season.

Jon Tishner was hired behind Daren Dalrymple in 2007. He was the Superintendent for 8 seasons and instilled great work ethic and integrity upon the crew. Jon served as the IHC Co-chair and helped incorporate the Rattlesnake Staff ride as part of the Advanced Wildland Fire Apprentice Program curriculum.

Chris Markey detailed as the Superintendent for the 2015 season when Jon accepted an Air Attack position and Chris became the formal Superintendent January of 2016.

Ernest Ceccon detailed into the position for the second half of the 2019 fire season and was hired into the permanent position in 2020.

Modoc

Year(s)	Superintendent
2001	John Ryan
2002-2006	Greg Keller
2007-?	Bob Beebe
2010	Terry Walters
2011	unstaffed
2012-present	Willie Almand

The Modoc Interagency Hotshot Crew came into existence after the conclusion of the 2000 fire season. At that time, it was decided by wildland fire managers and the United States Congress to fund national suppression efforts at the "Most Efficient Level" or MEL.

In 2001 the Modoc Interagency Hotshot Crew started operations on the Modoc National Forest, working out of the old Canby Ranger Station. The old Canby Ranger District has now been absorbed into the Devils Garden Ranger District. The crew has taken over the entire compound with adequate space for office facilities, barracks, warehouse, workshop, storage, training and a physical fitness workout room.

The crew works directly for the forest fire staff. Direct supervision comes from Forest Fire Management Officer, and second level supervision comes from Kimberly Anderson, Forest Supervisor.

The original crew structure consisted of John Ryan, Superintendent, Bob Beebe and Joe Johnston, Foreman. The crew was outfitted with the minimum compliment of tools, vehicles and equipment. The crew was assigned as a Type I (T) crew for the season, pending crew certification.

In 2002, Greg Keller was brought in as Superintendent to run the crew. The crew Foreman continued with Bob Beebe and Joe Johnston. The crew had a productive fire season and accomplished filling out the remaining task books required for certification. The one remaining item to be covered was individual training experience. The crew members were afforded priority status for training slots for the winter training session held at the Northern California Service Center in Redding, Ca.

All training and task book qualifications were complete and a certification review was requested for May of 2003. The crew certification took place on May 28 and 29. The certification team was headed up by Safety First Officer, Joe Millar and consisted of Mike Beckett, Superintendent Eldorado Hotshots, and Dave Bostic, Division Chief Modoc N.F.

The crew was recognized as the Modoc Interagency Hotshot Crew on May 29th 2003.

The season of 2006 was the last year Greg Keller was the Superintendent of the crew, retiring from the Forest Service. In 2007 Bob Beebe was hired as the Superintendent for the crew. For the season of 2010 Terry Walters was placed in the position of Superintendent. The crew was unstaffed for the season of 2011. The crew was again staffed for the 2012 season with Willie Almand being hired as the Superintendent.

The crew logo, flying goose, is derived from the area's world famous water fowl hunting and nesting habitat.

The crew "phrase", Pervado Tolerantia nos Benfacta was derived from the south polar explorer, Sir Ernest Shackelton. His family coat of arms, declared "Through Endurance we Conquer". For our purposes, we changed it to "Through Endurance we Succeed or Benefit". The small world part of this business became apparent with this crew logo. While working on the Aspen Fire on the Coronado N.F. in Arizona, a safety officer asked what the phrase meant. After explaining the Sir Ernest Shackelton part, he stated that he had in fact heard of Shackelton, and that his son was dating Shackelton's great granddaughter.

The crew consists of 9 full time positions, one Superintendent, two Foreman, two squad leaders and four senior firefighters.

Plumas

Year(s)	Superintendent
1974	Charlie Earhart, Jim Hogg
1974-1975	Dan Swearingen
1976-1978	Jim Hogg
1979	unstaffed
1980-1988	Tom Hatcher
1988	Dave Ross
1988-1999	Kent Swartzlander
2000-2014	Jack Sevelson
2015-present	Mike Sherman

The Plumas National Forest staffed its first nationally recognized Hotshot Crew in July of 1974 and for two seasons would have it split into two separate 10-person modules; one each on the Greenville and Quincy Ranger Districts. These two modules would come together, upon receipt of a resource request, to form the Plumas Interagency Hotshot Crew.

For most of its first season Charlie Earhart would act as Superintendent and supervise the Greenville half of the crew while Jim Hogg supervised the Quincy module. It wasn't until near the end of that first season that Dan Swearingen would officially be hired to fill the Superintendent position and he would remain as such until the end of 1975. Jim Hogg was his Foreman.

In 1976 Hogg took over for Swearingen and brought the entire crew together at the Quincy Work Center location (now the Mt. Hough Ranger District Office), where they are stationed to this day. Jim was with the crew from 1976 until 1978 with J.D. Killick as his assistant. In late August of 1978, the crew, along with several other Hotshot Crews throughout the Region, lost their national funding. Plumas was able to remain together to finish out the season, operating out of local dollars, but many crews were not so lucky.

The budget crisis that began the previous season carried over through the next fiscal year and in 1979 the crew was left unfunded and unstaffed. All equipment remained on the shelf and Jim Hogg moved on to other positions on the Forest and would not return to the Hotshot organization. Killick would leave for Region 3 and eventually retire from a Southwest Hotshot Crew.

With the return of funding in 1980, Tom Hatcher became Superintendent with Dave Ross as his Foreman. Later that same year a second Foreman position was created and Larry Vogan would be hired to fill it. Tom was Supt. through 1987 and in March of 1988 promoted into a Fuels ADFMO position, leaving the crew under Dave Ross, who acted as Superintendent until July of that year. Tom retired in 2006 after working his way up to Assistant Director of Fire and Aviation for Region 5 in Northern California.

In July of 1988 Kent Swartzlander was named to Superintendent behind Hatcher with Dave Ross remaining as Foreman. Larry Vogan then moved on to the Lassen NF and his position would remain vacant until 1989 when Jon Lee was hired to fill it. Kent would hold the Superintendent position for 12 seasons, from 1988 until 1999, during which time the organization was expanded to include two permanent Squad Leaders and eventually a single permanent Senior Firefighter. In 1999 Swartzlander left for the District Fuels AFMO position and would retire in 2010 as Forest FMO of the Six Rivers NF and Incident Commander of a Type 2 IMT.

In the year 2000 Jack Sevelson came back to the crew to replace Kent as Superintendent, with Jon Lee and Dave Ross remaining in what were now being referred to as the "Captain" positions.

A season later, in 2001, Jon Lee moved to Cedar City, UT as Superintendent of the new Dixie Hotshots. Dave Ross retired in 2003 after 22 years as a Plumas Hotshot.

Pete Duncan filled the Captain 13A position behind Jon Lee and is now the National Saw Program Manager for the USFS. He was replaced in quick succession by **Ryan Bauer (**who is now the Forest Fuels Officer -- Division 5) and then Mike Sherman.

Fred Brewster replaced Dave Ross as Captain 13B and with 15 years on the crew, would move on to become Superintendent of the Lassen IHC. Joel Schilling would promote from Fred's Squad Leader to Captain in 2009.

Having started on the crew in 1980, Sevelson would retire at the end of the 2014 season. In his fifteen seasons as Supt.13 Jack oversaw many changes within the Plumas Hotshots organization; from the expansion of its permanent workforce to include three more Senior Firefighters, to a seemingly endless shuffle of folks to keep all those permanent positions filled.

2015 started the latest era with Mike Sherman, after 18 seasons with the crew, being promoted to Superintendent.

In 2016, Joe McGinn, after seven years with the Plumas Hotshots accepted a promotion, becoming Captain 13B.

Redding

Year(s)	Superintendent
1967-1986	Charlie "No Slack" Caldwell
1986-2002	Craig "Lanky" Lechleiter
2002-2010	Robert Holt
2010-present	Dan Mallia

The Redding Interagency Hotshot Crew was the first hotshot crew in the nation to offer a concentrated fire management training detail opportunity. By detailing potential fire management personnel to a crew of this nature at an early stage in their careers, they were able to gain a mass of experience and training that might take years to receive at their home unit.

The program was initially developed in 1967 and functioned as one of the Pacific Southwest Region's three Interregional Suppression Crews along with the Del Rosa IR Crew and the El Cariso IR Crew. It remained an interregional crew until 1980, when at that time the interregional concept was abolished nationwide and all category one crews were reclassified as "Interagency Hotshot Crews" (IHC). The crew's training and career development concept was much the same in 1967 as it is today, but through the years it was modified to its current concept and mission.

Throughout the four-year period from 1967-1971, the crew functioned as a detail training opportunity. The crew organization consisted of one permanent full-time GS 462-7 and 19 detailers, two being recruited primarily to function in the hotshot captain positions.

The primary target audiences at that time were Foresters in need of crew and large fire experience. The formalized training curriculum during that period offered the detailer a variety of fire suppression and fire management subjects geared towards preparing the individual at the Sector Boss level.

By 1971, the pool of available Foresters fell short of the desired level to justify the continuance of the program under its original concept. In 1972, the crew converted to the conventional hotshot crew concept. From 1972 to 1973, seasonal crewmembers were hired. Training was accomplished only to the extent to meet agency requirements for Category 1 Hotshot Crews. The crew performed conventional project work on the Shasta Trinity N.F. during the periods when not assigned fire duties.

Following the 1973 fire season, the detail concept was re-implemented in 1974. The original emphasis on Foresters as the primary target audience was relaxed and the Forestry Technician began to fill a large majority of the 17 allocated positions. During this new era the overhead structure consisted of a GS-462-7 Superintendent and 2 GS-462-6 Captains. Classroom and field training continued to emphasize a fire suppression curriculum but also included supervision subjects as well.

During the winter of 1977, the Superintendent and one Captain position were reclassified as "Fire and Training Specialists". The reclassification increased the grade structure of the crew superintendent to a GS-462-9, and one Captain to a GS-462-7. The second Captain remained a GS-462-6.

Throughout the period from 1981 through 1986, foresters filled a small percentage of the crew positions. Fire Management Officers expressed the need to re-emphasize the participation of foresters who were interested in a career in fire management and who had demonstrated a potential to become future large fire managers.

Early in 1985, a steering committee was formed to assist the Redding Hotshot unit with modifying the program to include training in Timber Sale Planning, Prescribed Fire Management and Fire Prevention. In 1991, the curriculum was updated again to better meet the needs of fire managers and the incoming crewmembers. The adjustment in the academic curriculum deleted the training in Fire Prevention and Principles of Prescribed Fire Management. In their place Fuels Management and Ecosystem Planning, S-230 Crew Boss, S-234 Firing Boss and S-260 Fire Business Management were added.

In 1992, resulting from budget restrictions, the Redding crew was abolished. The crew returned in 1993, but without the training function. As in 1972-73, the crew functioned as a conventional hotshot crew for the Shasta Trinity National Forest, hiring a mix of career-conditional and temporary employees. In 1994, at the request of fire management in the region, the training program was reestablished, concentrating on Forestry Technicians in need of large crew and large fire experience.

In 1995, the overhead structure changed again to consists of one GS-462-9 Superintendent with two GS-462-7 Captains. In 1997, a national reclassification changed the grade structure of the crew Captains to GS-462-8. After the re-classification the overhead structure consisted of one GS-462-9 Superintendent, two GS-462-8 Captains, and two GS-462-6 Squad Leaders.

In 2003, the Redding IHC training focus from Fire Program Management to Small-Unit Leadership Development. The program was developed by Robert Holt (former Redding IHC Superintendent), Patrick Lookabaugh (former Redding IHC Captain), Greg Power (former R5 Regional Training Officer), and Jim Cook (former National Training Projects Coordinator), and is based on successful military, corporate, and fire service leadership development models.

The basic tenet of the program is: decisions made in historic fireline fatalities and near misses occurred at the small unit (squad/crew) level, not at the upper management level. Therefore, developing leadership skills and increasing decision-making abilities at the small unit level should be the foundation of all operational fire training.

In 2006 the "detail" was dropped, and the program became a "training opportunity". Realizing that full time squad leaders were no longer essential during the fireline aspect of the training opportunity; the permanent squad leader positions were abolished. The overhead decided that the crewmembers would benefit more by working directly for the captains.

In 2012 and 2018, the Redding IHC overhead and Regional Office Fire and Aviation reassessed the need and benefit from having squad leader positions added to the overhead structure, so the overhead structure now consists of one GS-462-09 Superintendent, two GS-462-08 Captains and two GS-462-07 Squad Leaders.

In 2021, two GS-462-05 Senior Firefighter positions were added to the organizational chart to be in line with the Standards for Interagency Hotshot Crew Operations Guide (SIHCO) of 7 permanent employees. In 2022, two GS-06 Lead Firefighter positions were added to the organizational chart per Washington Office direction for all USFS IHC's nationally.

If fully staffed, crew will consist of all the overhead above (Nine permanent positions) and sixteen detailers to fill out the 25 personnel.

Salmon River

Year(s)	Superintendent
2001-2009	James "Jimmy" Allen
2010-2019	William "Big Bill" Robinson
2020-Present	Kelsey Lofdahl

The Salmon River Hotshots are a federal Interagency Hotshot Crew (IHC) that was established in 2001 as a Type 2IA crew on the Klamath NF. Salmon River was part of the Most Efficient Level (MEL) Build-Up in response to the 2000 National Fire Plan, under the leaderships of Jimmy Allen, Grant Montgomery, Bill Robinson and Jon Jones.

In 2003, with Jimmy Allen as Superintendent, Salmon River began its inaugural season attaining Hotshot status later that June. In February 2010, the crew saw the end of an era as Superintendent Jimmy Allen retired from the agency allowing Bill Robinson to take the reins that season. Bill originally came to the crew in 2001 as a Squad Leader and then to Captain in 2002. In 2020, Bill Robinson moved on as ADFMO making way for Kelsey Lofdahl as the crews 3rd Superintendent.

The crew is stationed in Sawyers Bar, CA and if you've been there you know and feel how remote this small defunct mining and logging town is. The history of this crew, like the history of the town, is somewhat lost in that deep river canyon. We know the people, we know their names, we know a few stories, but like then the people are gone, yet everyone leaves a ring in our tree. Amongst them and us there is shared virtues of friendship, resilience, and sacrifice. These tenants and much more lead to the work ethic and determination needed to achieve and maintain our type 1 status.

The permanent workforce works hard to be the backbone of this crew, and the temps, as they come and go, are the arms and legs. We are not whole without each other. The coming and going of unique people makes every season an adventure in unity. No two years are alike. Once everyone comes together, we shape the present and future, exhibiting coordinated efficiency and purpose.

Amongst our uniqueness however there is one thing that sets us apart, our PT hill. It is but a spur ridge of a dominant peak but deserves its own place in hell. The hill was there long before us, but we claimed it as our challenge. We accept its call both alone and together and, like it, stand proud to be here. Although Salmon River IHC is relatively new in terms of Hotshot legacies, the program continues to strive to become an essential part of the National Interagency Hotshot program.

Shasta Lake

Year(s)	Superintendent
2006-2010	Jeff Michels
2011	Jerry Spence (Detail)
2012-2015	Donovan Lee
2016	Anthony Herbert (Detail)
2016-2018	Charles Barber
2019	Currently vacant
2020	Ron Graves/Joe Bogdan (Details)
2021-Present	Joe Bogdan

The Shasta Lake Hotshots were established in 2006 on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest in Lakehead California by crew superintendent Jeff Michels. Shasta Lake IHC became from the previously known Shasta Lake Hand Crew that was started on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest in 2001. In the year of 2006 Shasta Lake began the evaluation process for their IHC status. After months of hard work and dedication the crew gained their Type-1 status and was able to go out as an official IHC for their last assignment of the 2006 fire season. Since then Crew-5 has remained in Lakehead, California and continue to uphold the dedication and values of those that came before them.

Most Efficient Level:

During the year of 2000, the Nation was struck with a devastating fire season that totaled 64,129 fires, and over 3 million acres burned nationally. In reaction to this the President instructed the Department of Agriculture and Interior to construct a plan to directly address the current and rapidly increasing fire seasons. With minimal resources and finances, and a notable amount of current employees not being trained to their highest potential the National Fire Plan was developed in August of 2000. The National Fire Plan allowed forests with high fire probability, potential and an ever encroaching wild land urban interface to acquire more resources and finances to train and develop their employees known as the MEL (Most Efficient Level) build up. The Shasta-Trinity National Forest took advantage of this adding the Shasta Lake Hand Crew to its resource ranks.

Crew Mission:

The primary mission of Shasta Lake IHC is to provide a Type-1 hotshot crew that is safe, organized, mobile and highly skilled for all phases of wildland fire suppression and reinforcement during natural disaster incident operations. The Shasta Lake organization is a dynamic organization and will not become stagnant. Shasta Lake strives to remain an energetic program with continued support, and will continue to learn, improve their skills, refine tactics, and increase situational awareness.

Operating in all Aspects:

Integrating and being a valuable asset to the public has always been important to the Shasta Lake Hotshots. Shasta Lake frequently takes part in prescribed burns, hazardous fuel removal, and fire breaks around the community of Lakehead and other parts of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. On average the Shasta-Trinity NF burns around 10,000 acres a year with Shasta Lake IHC being involved in many aspects of ICS chain of command.

Shasta Lake IHC also recognizes the importance of public interaction and education. Frequenting community events and staying involved in programs that help inform and educate the public on the importance fire safety and preparedness.

Smith River

Year(s)	Superintendent
2001-2002	Rick Young
2003-2004	Sunbear Vierra
2005-2006	Scott Kizzar
2006-2012	Glen Tingley
2013-2015	Tim Memmer
2016-	Douglas Denlinger

"The strength of the wolf is in the pack, the strength of the pack is in the wolf." (Rudyard Kipling)

Smith River IHC began with the MEL build up in 2001 as SRF-NRA-Crew-1. This ten person IA and Fuels Crew was located just inland from Crescent City California in the small town of Gasquet. For several years Crew-1 performed at this level and was very productive both at station and out on fires. It was determined in 2005 to expand the crew to 20 person type 2 IA capability with the end state of becoming an IHC. Several key individuals with prior IHC experience were brought in to insure the crew would be striving for standards commensurate with the SIHCO. Over the next few years the men and women of the Smith River Hand crew focused on work hardening, training and building cohesiveness in hopes of joining the elite IHC community. On June 5th of 2009 this goal became a reality. Over the brief span of Crew-1's existence, many great leaders have emerged. Although most have moved on, the NRA continues to be an excellent place to attract new talent. A special thanks is owed to the early oversight from the quality firefighters and leaders that laid the foundation to build upon. These days, the Smith River Hotshot crew is striving to become known for its hard work ethic and reliability.

We value diversity of culture as well as thought and try to recruit from all over the country to ensure that. The overhead structure brings experience from many IHCs from several regions. That perspective is an aspect that we feel should remain a part of this crew's identity. We strive to be humble and let our line production speak for itself.

Tahoe

Year(s)	Superintendent
Hobart Inmate Crew
1961-1970	Les Bagby, Lynn Orr, Chuck Welch, Orv Houghan
Hobart Crew
1971	Bob Riley
1972	Don Huber
Hobart Hotshots
1973-1975	John King
1975-1976	Kris Kristofers
1977-1978	Dave Fields
1979-1985	Rusty Witwer
Tahoe Hotshots
1986-1995	Rusty Witwer
1996-2012	Rick Cowell (retired in place)
2013-2016	Eric Rice
2017-Present	Daniel Guerrero

The Hobart Work Center, located outside of Truckee CA., was created in the 1930's as part of the CCC effort after the Great Depression. In 1961 the Hobart Mills inmate crew, CC-51, was established. Volunteers from the State Penal system took on wildland suppression duties under the supervision of US Forest Service firefighters.

After the inmate camp was disbanded in 1970, the project of organizing and assembling a fire crew to work out of Hobart Mills was tasked to Foreman Bob Riley in 1971. With cooperation from the BIA and the Truckee Ranger District of the Tahoe NF, a 32-man crew was assembled. The ranks were mostly comprised of Indian students from the Stewart Indian School in Stewart, NV. Alternately known as the Hobart Southwest Indian Conservation Camp, the Truckee Fire Crew, and the Hobart Crew, TNF engine foremen and Tank truck operators provided supervision and leadership during this time.

The crew makeup of the early 1970's included over ten different Native American Tribes. Beyond adjusting to Forest Service policy and "white society", crewmen faced challenges presented by cultural differences and language barriers. From the beginning, the Hobart crews from the 1970's demonstrated their intentions with accomplishments and successes in the woods and on the fireline.

The crew acquired Hotshot status in 1973, becoming the second such recognized crew in North Zone. The Hobart Braves crew emblem was transformed to reflect the achievement. Designed by the Indian crews of the past, the Hobart shield remains unchanged to this day.

In 1981 Celia Howe broke the gender barrier, becoming Hobart's first female hotshot.

In the mid-1980's the logging industry was booming, creating an abundance of project work on the west side of the Forest. Tree planting, Slashing, and Burning funded the crew in between fire assignments. So, after a couple years of travelling across the crest, Hobart pulled up stakes and moved camp and duty station to the Bullards' Bar Work Center on the Yuba River Ranger District. This move occurred in 1984, but the crew was not renamed the Tahoe Hotshots until 1986.

Following the busy season of 1994, Superintendent Rusty Witwer traveled to Washington D.C. to receive the Group Honor Award for Excellence from Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman, for outstanding heroic action and maintenance of safety standards.

The Tahoe Hotshots, wearing the crest and colors of our past, continue to bring a safe, skilled, and productive resource to the fireline or the project.

Tallac

Year(s)	Superintendent
2001-2003	Steve Burns
2004	Mike Ierien
2005-2008	Steve Franke
2009-2015	Aaron Grove
2016-Present	Kyle Betty

The Tallac Hand Crew was established in 2001 as part of a nationwide buildup of resources to establish a maximum efficiency level of preparedness as directed by the National Fire Plan. The original intent of the crew was to perform fuels management projects meeting resource management objectives and to be available for wildland fire responses.

Steve Burns was the initial Crew superintendent of the Tallac Hand Crew. Steve initiated the program from the ground up, building the foundation for the future success of the program. Steve hired the crew, secured all the necessary supplies and workspace at the Meyers Work Center, where the crew still resides today. The crew was up and running by June 2001. Steve remained in the superintendent position until 2003 when he moved to a Battalion Chief position, eventually becoming Chief 1 of the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit.

In 2004, Mike Ierien moved from captain to superintendent and led the crew for that season. Mike moved on in 2005.

In 2005, Steve Franke became the superintendent of the crew, coming from the Redding Smokejumpers, with Aaron Grove as the captain. In 2006, the crew moved to a two-captain system, bringing on John Chester to fill the role as the second captain. In 2008, Aaron left the crew and moved on to be an engine captain. Bill Sanders replaced him as captain. Steve Franke led the crew through the 2009 season moving on in late 2009 to lead Crew 4, the Tahoe Basin Fuels crew.

In 2010, Aaron Grove returned to the crew to become the new superintendent with John Chester and Bill Sanders remaining as captains. Over the next four years the crew evolved through leadership, extensive training, recruitment, hard work and dedication. This evolution paid off in 2014, allowing the crew to complete the Type 1 crew certification process and achieving the goal of becoming the Tallac Hotshots, thus becoming the first Interagency Hotshot Crew from Lake Tahoe.

Aaron Grove left the superintendent position in 2015, moving on to become the training officer on the Plumas National Forest. Bill Sanders also left in 2015 to become a prevention officer on the Lake Tahoe Basin.

In 2016, Kyle Betty was hired from the Lassen Hotshots to become the new superintendent. Charlie Jones was hired into the captain position, coming from the Plumas Hotshots.

In the Fall of 2019 John Chester, a long-time captain on the crew moved on to the Division Chief position on the Lake Tahoe Basin. Elsa Gaule a long-time crewmember and squad leader on the crew was promoted into the Captain position.

The Tallac Hotshots continue to provide a valued resource by responding to fires and all risk incidents throughout the Lake Tahoe Basin and the Nation. We are proud to uphold the tradition and legacy of the hotshot community.

Trinity

Year(s)	Superintendent
2005-?	Justin Jeude
2009	Stew Richter (Detailed)
?-2015	Justin Jeude
2016-2017	Aaron Utterback
2018	Richie Reposa (Detailed), Ron Graves (Detailed)
2019-2020	Richie Reposa
2021-Present	Tristan Dias

Following the devastating 2000 fire season wildland fire managers and United States Congress realized that there was not an adequate level of suppression resources to deal with the increase in fire activity nationwide. As a result, it was decided to increase and fund national suppression resources at the most efficient level. This became known as the MEL Build up.

The South Fork Hand crew (Crew 1) was established in 2001 under the national fire plan and stationed out of the Hayfork Ranger Station in Hayfork, Ca. Larry Helsley was the Superintendent. The South Fork Crew was stationed in Hayfork from 2001- 2005; during that time the crew was a type two initial attack hand crew.

In 2006 Justin Jeude, who started his Hotshot career on Diamond Mountain Hotshots, was promoted from Captain on the crew to Superintendent. He had the crew identifier changed to Crew 11 and the name changed to Trinity, a historical tribute to the days when The Shasta and Trinity were separate National Forests. He also had the crew relocated to Harrison Gulch ranger station, which was built in the 1930's by Civilian Conservation Corps. It's Located on the Yolla Bolla Ranger District in beautiful Platina California, where they still are today. They share the station with two type three engines and a water tender. The crew was given their own facilities with adequate space to accommodate the needs of a twenty person Hotshot crew.

In 2006 Doug Powell, whom had been the squad leader on the crew came back from a detail to the California Smoke jumpers and accepted the Captains position on the crew Doug and John Chester who had worked his way up through the ranks were the two captains. In 2007 John left and went to Tallac Hotshots as a captain and Kris Kochar, an ex-Diamond Mountain and Mendocino Hotshot, was promoted from Squad Leader to Captain. Justin and his permanent staff began to build and improve the crew's foundation through hard work, perseverance and an all-around good attitude with the goal to bring the crew to Type One status (Hotshots)

In 2007 the crew was put in front of a USFS Region 5 Safety First Hotshot Crew Certification Team lead by Jerry McGowan. The crew performed an intensive two day evaluation and on July 8, 2007 were certified as Regional Hotshots. The Trinity Hotshots were the fourteenth Hotshot crew to be certified in Northern California.

2009 found Doug Powel and Kris Kochar moving on, and Justin temporarily promoting into a Battalion Chief detail. Doug went on to become a Forest Service LEO and later a California Smokejumper. Kris moved on to the private sector to pursue bigger passions. Aaron Utterback transferred over as the permanent Crew Captain from the local Helicopter crew, 506, and Dylan Reeves from the California Smokejumpers detailed in as the other Captain. Stew Richter detailed in as the crew superintendent. Justin Jeude came back to the crew after his Battalion Chief detail and continued to fill his role as Superintendent.

In 2010 Brad Schuette from the California Smokejumpers filled in as a detailed captain. Robert Reeves, a local engine Captain, accepted the permanent captain's position on the crew in the winter of 2010 and Justin, Rob, and Aaron ran the crew for the next three years. In the winter of 2013 Aaron Utterback took a Battalion Chief position on the forest and, Richie Reposa, who came from the Klamath Hotshots in 2009 to take over the squad boss position, detailed into the Captains spot. He permanently accepted the job in 2014.

After 10 years as the crews Superintendent, Justin stepped down from his duties in the winter of 2015 and moved on to work at the Redding Airtanker Base. Aaron Utterback came back to the crew in 2016 as the Superintendent. Later that same year, Robert Reeves vacated the position and went into the private sector. Ron Graves, who started on the crew in 2007 and worked his way up through the ranks, detailed in to the Captains spot behind Robert. He later took the job permanently in 2016.

After 2 years as the Superintendent, Aaron left the crew to pursue a career with Calfire as a Crew captain. In the summer of 2018, Richie Reposa and Ron Graves Split 120 day details and filled the Superintendents position.

Tristan Dias, who came to the crew in 2014 from The Lassen Hotshots as a squad leader, detailed into the Captains position.

In 2019 Richie Reposa accepted the Superintendents position for the crew. Tristan Dias accepted the Captains position, Ron Graves left the crew to accept a Captains position on the forests other Hotshot crew (Shasta Lake Hotshots) and John Castaneda, a squad leader from Tallac Hotshots, detailed in to the Captains position behind him.

Trinity Interagency Hotshots are a young crew and have an unwavering dedication to upholding the long standing traditions and high standards of the IHC program through hard work, perseverance, and an all-around good attitude. We adhere to the core values of Duty, Respect, Integrity, and Discipline.

Ukonom

Year(s)	Superintendent
2003-2006	John W. Gibbons
2007-2010	John P. Cataldo
2011-2016	Keith R. Smith
2017	Nathan Nelms
2018-Present	Joel J. Berg

Prior to the National Fire Plan in 2000, the Six Rivers National Forest's crew history had been comprised only of various BD (Brush Disposal) and 10-person Initial Attack crews. As part of what became known as the MEL (Most Efficient Level) build-up, the Six Rivers N.F. Fire Chief John Wendt and Deputy Forest Fire Chief Kent Swartzlander decided to replace the 4 districts' existing 10-person IA crews with Hotshot Crews.

In April of 2003, Six Rivers Crew 2 was formed on the Orleans/Ukonom Ranger District of the Six Rivers N.F. as a Type 2 IA crew with the goal of becoming the first certified Hotshot Crew in the History of the Six Rivers National Forest. Under the leadership of John W. Gibbons, a veteran of 30+ fire seasons, Crew 2 set upon this mission with great vigor and enthusiasm. The crew was stationed on the Orleans District of the Six Rivers, and worked out of the Oak Bottom Fire Station in Somes Bar on the Ukonom Ranger District of the Klamath N. F. which is administered by the Six Rivers N.F.

The first couple of years of the crew's development had their share of highs and lows. The crew was able to reach Type 1 status in July of 2004, but fell short on their first attempt at Hotshot certification that August. To complicate matters, the crew lost one of their founding Squad Bosses, Robert Shufelt, to a serious back injury. However, the crew never lost sight of their goals, persevered through these setbacks, and began to establish a solid reputation within the firefighting community.

In 2005 the decision was made to adopt the name of the Ukonom district and the crew became known as the Ukonom Handcrew. The "Coyote that steals the fire", a prominent character in local Karuk tribal lore, was incorporated into the crew logo. In 2006, Supt. Gibbons was forced by retirement law to leave the federal service with 33 years of firefighting experience. Captain John Cataldo was then promoted to Superintendent, and Squad Boss Keith Smith was promoted to Captain, and the process of building towards Hotshot status was continued.

In May of 2008, a USFS Region 5 Safety First Hotshot Crew Certification Team comprised of Team Leader Don Will, Salmon River IHC Superintendent Jimmy Allen, and subject-matter-expert Ed Merrill performed an intensive 2-day evaluation of the Ukonom Handcrew. On May 22, 2008 the Ukonom Hotshots were certified as the 1st Hotshot Crew in the history of the Six Rivers National Forest, the 15th in Northern California, the 41st in Region 5, and the 105th Hotshot Crew in the Nation.

In April of 2010, after 8 years of confusion and debate within the USFS Region 5 Hotshot community as to whether the Hotshot crews that were certified within the region as part of the MEL build-up were to be considered Interagency or Regional Hotshot Crews, the Washington Office issued a directive that all Hotshot crews in Region 5 are to be identified as Interagency Hotshot Crews. Ukonom IHC is dedicated to earning that designation every day through hard work and strict adherence to the IHC core values of Safety, Duty, Respect, Integrity, and Professionalism.

In April of 2017, after long discussions between Forest fire management and the overhead from the Ukonom Hotshots, the decision was made to move the crew from the Oak Bottom station on the Orleans Ranger District to the Salyer guard station on the Lower Trinity Ranger District.

The Ukonom Interagency Hotshot Crew prides itself on having an exceptional work ethic that dates back to the early days of Hotshot crews, and are always willing to put in the extra chain of line, and be first ones up and the last ones off the hill each day.

Operations Southern California

Arrowhead

Year(s)	Superintendent
1981-1990	Jim Cook
1991	Dan Buckley
1992-1995	Jim Cook
1996	Dan Buckley
1996-2007	Brit Rosso
2007	Pat Morgan
2008-2012	John Goss
2013-2019	Joe Suarez
2020	Jeremy Loyd (Detail)
2021-	Joe Suarez

The National Park Service established its Interagency Hotshot Crew program in May of 1981, the Arrowhead Hotshot crew being one of the three crews formed at that time. These three crews were the first non-Forest Service Hotshot crews established. They were also the first Hotshot Crews to be funded by the Department of the Interior. In 1981 the crews were known as Arrowhead 1, Arrowhead 2, and Arrowhead 3. Our crew was known as Arrowhead 2 that first year. As you can imagine, having three Hotshot Crews running around with basically the same name caused quite a bit of confusion. In 1981 the three crews were in the following parks:

Crew Name	Location	Superintendent
Arrowhead 1	Grand Canyon	Jon Larson
Arrowhead 2	Sequoia-Kings Canyon	Jim Cook
Arrowhead 3	Yellowstone	J. W. Allandorf

In 1982, the names of the three crews were changed. The new crew names were derived from the National Park Service emblem:

1981 Name	1982 Name	Superintendent
Arrowhead 1	Alpine IHC	Jon Larson
Arrowhead 2	Arrowhead IHC	Jim Cook
Arrowhead 3	Bison IHC (Disbanded 1984)	Ken Eckstien

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks has been the home unit for the Arrowhead Hotshots since the crew's inception. The crew's work center is located in the Grant Grove District of Kings Canyon National Park. In 1981 the crew was located at the abandoned Swale Campground site which was built in the 1930's. That first year the crew lived in two-man tents and had rock fire pits for heat. Since that first year the crew has developed the old campground into what is known today as the Swale Work Center.

Arroyo Grande

Year(s)	Superintendent
2007-2019	Mike Hickey
2020-Present	Phil Hernandez

The Arroyo Grande Hotshots and Arroyo Grande Flight Crew (527) are based near Lopez Lake, 12 miles east of the town of Arroyo Grande, Ca. meaning "big ravine" in latin. Initially, the AG Flight Crew was established in 1977, configured as a 17 person heli-shot module and assigned to a Type II helicopter until 1982. From 1983 to 2000, the Flight Crew encountered several module configurations, from using inmate firefighters based at the Cal-Fire Cuesta Camp in San Luis Obispo, Ca. for initial attack to US Forest Service personnel trained and qualified for rappel. In 2001, a Type I Sikorski S-61 was assigned to Arroyo Grande along with increased personnel up to 29. This configuration was employed till the end of fire season 2006. Due to forest budgetary reasons in 2007, the Flight Crew was reduced to its standard 14 person configuration and a Type II helicopter was again assigned. The remaining 29 personnel was given an option to choose between the helicopter module or be assigned to the newly created Arroyo Grande Type 2 initial attack crew. A majority of overhead and crewman from the Type I helicopter program chose to be part of the crew's inauguration. Arroyo Grande Crew-3 carried the Type 2 I/A status for 2007 and into early fire season 2008. While assigned to the Indians Fire on Ft. Hunter Liggett in June 2008, Crew 3 returned to base from incident to complete the IHC Crew Certification Process. The certification panel consisted of Jerry McGowan (Type I IC) John Armstrong (Texas Canyon IHC) Jack Medina (Springville IHC) and Mike Lanier (Groveland IHC). Arroyo Grande Crew 3 successfully completed the certification 2 days later and quickly returned to the Indians Fire, becoming the Arroyo Grande Hotshots. Today, AGHS continues to exhibit professionalism, operate at the highest level of skill while assigned to incident operations and fire management and promoting safe working environment to all personnel. Mobilization to states throughout the U.S. is common every year. AGHS commitment to notable fires on the forest include Zaca (2007), Basin (2008), Chalk (2008), Jesusita (2009), La Brea (2009), Soberanes (2016).

Bear Divide

Year(s)	Superintendent
1975-1979	Mike Dougherty
1980-1982	Richard McCombs
1982-1999	David Conklin
2000-2013	Mike Alarid
2013-Present	Brian Anderson

The Crew started in the build up years of the early 1970's. It was started in 1974 as a 10-person flight crew in conjunction with a 10-person flight crew on the Valyermo district. In 1975 it was made a 20-person crew and the first superintendent was Mike Dougherty.

Bear Divide was one of 6 hotshot crews on the Angeles National Forest.

Mike's tenure as superintendent was 1975-1979.

The Bear Divide Station was built in the late 1960's and was constructed with a 12 person barracks, kitchen and 4 bay garages. In 1975 the barracks was added on to house a total of 25 personnel. During the early 1970's the station also was home to two, 7-person engine modules. One engine module was cut in 1976.

In 1980 Bear Divide got a new superintendent, Richard McCombs, who stayed in the job until 1982.

In 1982 David Conklin became superintendent and stayed in the job until 1999.

In the mid 1980's the Station was added on to again to make a large weight room/training room, storage room and to add additional restrooms/showers.

Mike Alarid was promoted into the superintendent's job in 2000-2013 and has since been promoted to a Division Chief on the Angeles NF. Effective May 2013, Brian Anderson is the new Bear Divide superintendent.

The station is located on the now called Los Angeles River Ranger District on the Angeles National Forest or what used to be the Tujunga District. Bear Divide is nestled on the Santa Clara Divide separating Santa Clarita and the LA Basin. Its location is prime for initial attack throughout the fire season.

Big Bear

Year(s)	Superintendent
2001-2011	Jimmy Avila
2012-2018	Frank Esposito
2019-2020	Howard Deets
2021-Present	Emanuel Torres

History:

The Big Bear Hotshots were established in 2001 on the San Bernardino National Forest as part of a National Wildland Fire Suppression effort to commensurate large fire cost and initial attack resources. Big Bear started in 2001 as a Type-2 crew and progressed into a Type-1 crew by early 2002. In October of 2003, Big Bear was certified as a Regional Hotshot Crew set fourth by the Interagency Hotshot Operations Guide. Today Big Bear Hotshots carry on the same traditions of our fellow Hotshots across the nation and follow the core values of Duty, Integrity, and Respect.

Mission Statement:

The primary mission of the Big Bear Hotshots is to provide a safe, well organized, mobile and highly skilled hand crew for all phases of wildland fire suppression and reinforcement during natural disaster incident operations. We will actively support the hazardous fuels management program and other project assignments as required.

ABOUT BIG BEAR...

Big Bear Hotshots are happy to call Big Bear California home, although the actual compound is located across the lake at the Big Bear Ranger Station in Fawnskin, CA. These mountain communities are home to Americas greatest Recreational activities such as Alpine Slide/ Water Slide, Biking, Boating & Water Sports, Bowling, Camping, Cross Country Skiing, Big Bear Discovery Center, Entertainment, Events, Fishing, Golf, Hiking, Horseback Riding, Museum, Parasailing, RV Parks & Marinas, Skiing, Snowboarding, Snow Play, Snowshoeing, Swimming, Tennis, Tours, and the Alpine Zoo. Even though the Big Bear Hotshots are usually committed to assignments, the crew more then often is enjoying all the National Forest and local communities have to offer.

Boundary Peak

Year(s)	Superintendent
2001-2004	Tim Keller
2004-2005	Jeff Lucas (Detail)
2005-Present	Ron Riise

The Boundary Peak Hotshots, based in Bishop, was started in 2001 as a 10 person fuels crew with the primary goal of completing fuels reduction projects throughout the Inyo National Forest and Bishop BLM field office. The crew was assigned three vehicles, two pickups with utility beds (one single cab and one crew cab) and a Chevy blazer. The office was a modular unit similar to temporary construction site offices and a cargo container for the cache, located at the White Mt. Ranger Station. That first year the crew would marry up with its sister crew from the Mammoth Ranger District to form a 20 person Type II crew for off forest fire assignments.

When funding increased for fire suppression resources in 2002, the White Mt. Fire Management Staff (Jeff Iler and Terry Molzhan) turned down the offer of a third Type III engine for the district in exchange for funding of ten more positions for the fuels crew with the intent of becoming a Hotshot Crew.

The first year with 20 people proved to be a productive one with the crew completing remodel of the Forest Fire Cache into the crews' new offices, project work (thinning, brushing roads, fuel breaks and Rx burning) that resulted in approximately 5,000 acres treated and a few fires for about 700 hours of overtime. The crew still had the original three vehicles with the addition of another crew cab truck and a 10 passenger van (some were white and some were green). The crew received the Supt. truck and CCV's that are currently in use in 2003. In 2005 the crew moved its offices once again into the old Forest Radio shop, which offered more room for offices, ready room, training room and cache.

By 2008 the crew was finally able to hire all the required permanent positions with the required qualifications. After seven years of growth, improvement and hard work the crew succeeded in becoming an officially recognized Hotshot Crew on August 11, 2008.

Breckenridge Hotshots

Year(s)	Superintendent
2002-2007	Steve Griffin
2007-2016	Adam Sanders
2016-Present	James Robertson

In June of 1990, a ten person fuels crew was established, on the Greenhorn Ranger District, of the Sequoia National Forest, located at the Havilah Work Center. The crew's mission was to prep and execute prescribe burn projects on the district and respond to local fires on the forest. The crew's first foreman was Manuel Vejar, and his assistant foreman was Raul Estrada. At the time the crew was known as Fuels 51, in 2000 the identifier was change to Crew 8, which is still used as the forest identifier today.

In June of 2002, as a result of increased congressional funding for wildland fire agencies, Crew 8 was turned into a 20 person suppression crew with a goal of becoming a Regional Hotshot Crew. Steve Griffin became the first Superintendent, Adam Sanders and David "Buck" Owens were the first Captains of the 20 person crew which took on the name of Breckenridge.

The crew spent its first season, and part of the second as a Type 2 crew while building an initial program. In the fall of 2003 the crew received its Type 1 status from the forest. In the spring of 2005 Steve Griffin requested that the crew would be considered a Type 2 Crew on the forest due to lack of qualified over head. The crew remained a Type 2 crew until October of 2006, when the crew went through the Hotshot Certification Review. Since the review the crew has been known as the Breckenridge Hotshots.

Chilao

Year(s)	Superintendent
1949	Don Biedebach
1950-1951	Ray Bond
1951-1953	Lynn Biddison
1953	Jim Murphy
1954	Bill Myrick
1955	Bill Thompson
1956	Bill Longacre
1957-1958	Woody Hite
1959	Jack Lane
1960-1961	Ralph Johnston
1962-1968	Pete Trujillo
1969-1974	Dick O'Conner
1975-1980	Gary Raybould
1981-1984	Jim Ogilve (crew was cut at the end of the 1984 fire season)

1949 -- first year of the Hotshot crew. Superintendent was Don Biedebach with a brand new crew camp at Chilao.

1950 -- crew Superintendent was Ray Bond. The crew foremen were: Lynn R. Biddison, Lynn Newcomb, and Jim Dolan. Ralph Jehl was the Foremen on the engine. This was a 30-man crew with George Mc Nellis as the camp cook. 10 or 12 of the crew members were Navajo or Hopi Indians from the Sherman Institute in Riverside. The balance of the crew were regular hires.

At this time there were only 5 Hotshot Crews in the nation. Those crews were:

Chilao
Del Rosa
Laguna
Oak Grove
Los Prietos

Both Chilao and Oak Grove were financed by special Los Angeles River funds. The funds were ear marked by Congress for use in the L.A. river drainage. As a result, Chilao and Oak Grove could not be off forest at the same time. This resulted in the rotation of off forest assignments.

1951 -- crew Superintendent at the start of the year was Ray Bond. Early in the season Ray left and Lynn Biddison became the Supt. The crew consisted primarily of Indians from Taos, New Mexico. Pete Trujillo was part of this group. The crew foremen were: Jim Murphy, Ralph Jehl, and Tommy Brumfield.

1952 -- this year was the beginning of a yearlong Hotshot crew at Chilao using San Quentin prisoners from the prison at Chino. The Forest Service paid the State of California prison authority $1.00 per day for each prisoner. The crew was a total of 30 inmates. In addition, there was an inmate kitchen crew at Chilao. The Forest Service had the responsibility of the inmates when we were out of camp working on fire breaks, trails, etc. In camp the state Corrections Officers were responsible for the inmates. On fires the Forest Service foremen were responsible for inmate security when we were on the line. In fire camp the Corrections Officers were responsible for inmate security. The Forest Service was supposed to count the inmates periodically when we were responsible for their security. We seldom did this and we never had an inmate escape.

The inmates became a very good Hotshot crew. They competed very well against Oak Grove, Del Rosa, Laguna, and Los Prietos. Del Rosa was the toughest competition as a good part of their crew came from the Chaffee College football team.

1953 -- the yearlong inmate Hotshot crew continued. Lynn Biddison was Superintendent until September when he became Assistant Ranger / FCO (Fire Control Officer) on the Arroyo Seco District. Jim Murphy became the new crew Superintendent. The crew foremen were: Jerry Hayes, Ray Trygar, and Ted Gregg.

NOTE -- It was about this time that the Hotshot crew size was standardized at 20 people (crew members) plus overhead. The 30-person crew size was a holdover from the C.C.C. days when their stake side trucks had bench seats that ran across the bed of the truck. The Hotshot crews had changed this to padded tool box seats along each side of the bed of the stake side truck and across the front. This new set up did not provide seating for more than 12-14 people per truck. The main reason though for reducing crew size to 20 people was to be able to put the crew and their gear on a Forest Service DC-3 or C-54. In those days the crews seldom flew to a fire, but it was starting to happen and the crew and their gear had to fit on the airplane.

1954 -- this was the last year of the use of inmates for the Chilao Hotshot crew. The Superintendent was Bill Myrick. The crew foremen were: Jerry Hayes, Ray Trygar, and Jim Ruppelt.

NOTE -- Ralph Johnston and Jim Murphy did much of the early pioneering with the use of helicopters on fires at Chilao. Features such as Heli-jumping were pioneered at Chilao. The use of helicopters to lay hose from a tray attached to the ship was also pioneered at Chilao.

(The 1955 through 1984 Chilao crew history is still being gathered)

(Many thanks go to Lynn R. Biddison who provided the bulk of the Chilao crew history)

Crane Valley

Year(s)	Superintendent
2001-2003	Mark Smith
2004-2005	Charles Berner detail
2005	Mike Fralicks detail
2005-2006	Ken Henson
2006-2019	Charles Berner
2019-present	Matthew Dunlap (2019 detail)

In 2001, as part of the "M.E.L." build-up, Crane Valley IHC (then known as Crane Valley Crew 1) came into existence. The crew's humble beginnings included a mobile office trailer, a dilapidated mobile home, a Quonset hut, and 5 pickups. In 2001 and 2002 the crew shared a duty location with the Sierra Hotshots, an engine, and a patrol at the Batterson work center of the Bass Lake Ranger District, Sierra National Forest. The original Supt., Mark Smith, was selected to run the crew during its formative years due to his experience as a former Sierra Hotshot Foreman, and recruiting other highly skilled individuals, mostly from Sierra Hotshots, to fill the other overhead positions. Mark was known for his strong work ethic and dedication to getting the job done no matter what the task at hand was, the crew came to reflect this attitude under his leadership, often getting out to the line before other crews and staying much later to get the job done.

Following two busy fire seasons during 2001 and 2002, Crane Valley earned their chance at Hotshot Crew status. In October of 2002, a committee of Fire overhead, including Supt.'s of established hotshot crews came to Crane Valley's station to observe them run a mock fire. After successful completion, they officially received Hotshot Crew status. Shortly after which time the crew moved to its current work center, the Douglas Ranger Station in North Fork, CA.

Mark Smith remained in the Supt. position for one more fire season in 2003 before moving on to become a Battalion Chief while still remaining on the Bass Lake Ranger District. 2004 proved to be a year of detailed Supt.'s before Ken Henson was named the new official Crane Valley Supt. in 2005. He remained in the position for one year before moving on in order to explore other opportunities elsewhere. In 2006, the crew found its long term Supt. in Chuck Berner. Chuck had been with Crane Valley since its inception as a foreman on B-mod. Prior to Crane Valley, Chuck had an extensive background in wildland fire as well as logging. Known for his entertaining off the wall stories, and more importantly his devotion to developing crewmembers who came up through the ranks of the Crane Valley Hotshots, Chuck continued the Dirty Bird tradition of taking on tough assignments while finding new and innovative solutions to the increasingly difficult wildland fire environment. Under Chuck's and the rest of the overhead's tutelage crewmembers every season were taught not only the current wildland fire suppression tactics, but also the origins of the tactics as well as the history of wildland fire and all of the lessons learned throughout. Chuck remained in the Supt. Position from 2006 until early 2019 when he retired from the agency. Matthew Dunlap detailed into the Supt. position during the 2019 fire season and eventually accepted the job effective in early 2020.

Crew Name & Logo

The Crane Valley name was derived from the area now known as Bass Lake. Before the first dam was built in 1901 to create hydroelectric power, the valley contained a large meadow with Willow Creek running through the middle, the area was inhabited by Native Americans of the Chukchansi and Mono tribes. When the Mariposa Battalion first entered the valley in 1851 they named it after the large flocks of birds mistakenly identified as Sandhill Cranes. Crane Valley IHC's name is a nod to the local history of the Bass Lake Ranger District.

The Crew's Logo is a solitary flame with the head of a Crane rising out of the center, the two symbols to the left & right of the flame are both Japanese "Logographic Kanji", drawn characters that representing Chaos and Fire.

Dalton

Year(s)	Superintendent
1954	Charles Culver
1957	Jay Shoemaker
1958-1960	Robert Caffey
1961	Jim Clark
1962	Harold Allum
1963-1974	Charles Hartley
1975-1982	John Chackerian
1983-1990	Lewis Yazze
1990-1999	Bob Serrato
2001-2006	Randy Unkovich
2007	Luis Ocampo
2008-2014	Steve Robles
2015-2016	Alex Liau
2017-2021	Scott Gorman
2022-	Ronald Gregor

The Dalton Hot Shot Crew was established in September of 1953 on the Angeles National Forest. The crew, like Big Dalton and Little Dalton canyons, where Dalton Station is located, takes its name from Henry Dalton, an English landowner and rancher who arrived in Southern California in 1843. The crew logo is a Nelson Desert Bighorn sheep, the likes of which roam freely in the Sheep Mountain Wilderness nearby. That year Harry Grace, of the ANF Supervisor's Office, recruited 22 Native Americans (11 Jemez and 11 Zia) from Northern New Mexico. Charles (Chuck) Culver was the crew foreman.

Dalton's first logo was the Zuni Knife Wing in their honor and worn for a short time.

From 1954 to1958, the crew was stationed at the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) camp on the east side of Glendora Mountain Road and south of Big Dalton Canyon Road, in Glendora, Calif. The main CCC building served as the office, kitchen, and dining area. It also served as sleeping quarters for the foreman and squad bosses. The crew barracks were surplus temporary barracks made of plywood. There was also a separate building for washing and showering. Another building housed pit toilets.

In 1959, the crew was stationed at Tanbark Flats, at the San Dimas Experimental Forest in buildings constructed by the CCC and the Conscientious Objectors. The facility consisted of a large barracks with showers and toilet facilities, and large kitchen and dining area were in another building. There were separate quarters for the superintendent and foreman. From this location, the Dalton Hotshots had easy access to freeway systems, major airports and two nearby National Forests.

The crew changed its logo to the "Ram Shield" which became the Baldy District logo. Which is what the crew currently wears on our helmets.

In 1964, the crew was moved back to the CCC camp at Dalton Canyon because it was thought that the travel time from Tanbark to fires was excessive. However, the facilities at Dalton CCC camp were deteriorated and too unstable to house the crew, so the crew moved back to Tanbark in 1965. This is where "Dalton Camp" gets its name. The contract for the Dalton Barracks (across Dig Dalton Canyon Road from the CCC site) was awarded March 13, 1969, at a cost of $182,000. At 7,000 square feet, the new barracks would comfortably accommodate up to twenty people. The Dalton Hot Shots moved into the new facility in 1970. The barracks contained a crew lounge, training facility, hot shot crew office, and an engine crew office. Today, the facility also includes a volleyball court, and an extensive weight training room.

From the mid-1950s to 1965, the crew used stake-side vehicles, Chevrolets or Fords, which were modified to store tools and personal gear and include bench seats (with cushions made from a canvas cover stuffed with blankets).

1963, Dalton acquired the Homelite XL a lightweight chainsaw to use in the brush, the second one on the west coast. It took two seasons before other organized crews adapted to using chainsaws on brush fires. When the saws went down due to fuel or needing sharpening the hooks went back to work. Dalton also engineered a frame style backpack to carry fuel and oil for the chainsaws.

In 1966, the crew got its first fully enclosed "cab-over" vehicle, an International Harvester "Corn Binder", which housed the crew inside, with storage for tools and other gear accessible from outside compartments. This was designed and built on site.

In 1975 Dalton decided it was time identify itself better with a shirt color. John Chakerian the Superintendent decided to go with the color red for the shirt color for Dalton, mainly because it was the color of the fire engine. Shortly after other crews started choosing a color for their crews.

In 1976, the crew expanded to two vehicles with enclosed crew bodies, chair-type seats, tool compartments that could be accessed from the outside, and personal gear storage on the roof of the crew compartment. The crew Superintendent drove a pick-up truck. Dalton had this style of crew carrier "crumby" until 2000.

In 2001 Dalton received International diesel turbo crew carriers and have cycled through two sets and are due for the national standard crew carrier in 2021.

On this year 2001 the crew went with a logo drawn by a crewmember in the 70's and is now used on the crew's apparel.

Throughout Dalton Hot Shot history, there is a positive value that has been passed on from crew to crew, a tradition of self worth, integrity, and the endeavor for excellence. It is this reward that is Dalton's most valued piece of history, and it is those individuals who have had the responsibility to lead, that have carried on this valuable tradition.

Dalton is expected to respond when called upon, still be expected to protect the public and private resources at risk, and still be expected to complete the mission; whatever that may be. New conditions be they social, fiscal, political, or biological, will compound your already difficult job as a public servant.

We will be Safe, highly skilled, and adaptable Hotshot Crew.

We will provide leadership, training, successional training and experience to develop strong and professional firefighters into the future.

We will maintain high standards of professionalism, discipline, physical fitness, and resiliency.

Our Core Values- The more accountable we are to ourselves, the less accountable we have to be to everyone else. When you hold yourself accountable, when you hold your crew accountable, everyone benefits.

Family
Duty
Respect
Integrity
Teamwork

Del Rosa

Year(s)	Superintendent
1946-1949	Toby Ortega
1949-1950	George McCarty
1950-1954	Gordon Bosteder
1954-1957	Mike Roberts
1957-1960	Ernie Lemelin
1960-1962	Don Mc Cormack
1962-1965	Gerry Ewart
?	Bob Robbins
?	Eldon Henry
1966-1976	Kenny Tortez
1976-1977	Gary Lange
1978-1997	Ron Regan (retired in place)
1997-1998	Scott Wagner (detailed in 97-became the Supt in 1998)
1999-2004	Jeff Koenig (detailed in 99-became the Supt in 2000)
2004	Frank Esposito (Detailed)
2005-2013	Jim Tomaselli
2013-2018	Neil Gamboa
2018-Present	David Borero

Duty Respect Integrity

In 1945 the C.C.C. Civilian Conservation Corps were stationed at the Del Rosa work center, at this camp were many crews working at various projects throughout the greater San Bernardino area, one of the many tasks assigned to the camp was fire suppression duties, in 1946 the fire suppression crew was renamed the Del Rosa Hot Shots and was administered by the forest, the crew has been in the same location since it was formed.

The Spanish name Del Rosa translated in English means (THE ROSE).

Originally the crew was made up of two separate crews consisting of 15 people each, one Superintendent, one Assistant Superintendent and two Crew Forman for a total of thirty-two personnel, and several support personnel, i.e. Cooks and camp help.

The crew adopted its name from the small community that lies below the work center and Del Rosa Boulevard that leads to the Hot Shot camp from Hwy 30 to the west, the work center is now considered to be in the city limits of San Bernardino.

In the mid 1960's the Del Rosa Hotshots became one of three Interregional Hotshot crews in R-5, this status allowed them to travel to other regions within the U.S., for fire assignments.

At one time the crew had assigned to them their own airplane that was used for transportation to out of region assignments, as well as a 250 gal. pumper that they staffed out of the Del Rosa work center for initial attack on forest.

Additional information sent to us from Jerry Horine:

Toby Ortega was also supt. Between Gerry Ewart and Bob Robbins in the 60s, as I was a crew foreman under all of them. Joe Cruz was my squad boss during that time. Also, the movie Crew Boss was made during that time using the Del Rosa crew as the subject of the movie. A

professional actor was used as the crew boss.

I have many old pictures of the crew during the 60s if anyone is interested. 928-718-1826

Jerry Horine, Retired

El Cariso

Year(s)	Superintendent
1958-1959	Danny Street
1960	Glen Kay
1961-1962	Doug Campbell
?	Marv Stout
?	Gordon King
?	Steve Gallegos
?	Ron Campbell
?	Richard Aguillar
?	Greg Davis
?	Mike Smith
?	Hal Mortier
?	Ralph Chavez
?	Allen Johnson
?	Don Feser
?	Jay Bertek

The Cleveland National Forest had its first Hotshot Crew in the late 1950's. This crew was mobile and represented the entire forest. In 1958 the crew was permanently located in the El Cariso area of the Trabuco Ranger District. This would be the first year of the El Cariso Hotshots, as they are known today.

The crew continued to work the entire forest, sometimes spending days in the Mt. Laguna area on project work. Their primary responsibility was still wildland fire suppression. The first superintendent of the crew was Danny Street. He was the superintendent in 1958 and 1959. On August 8, 1959 the crew experienced the first of two fire tragedies El Cariso would be involved in. The fire was the Decker Fire located in the foothills above Lake Elsinore. Seven people were overrun by fire and lost their lives. Three were members of the El Cariso Hotshot Crew.

In 1960, Glen Kay took over as interim Hotshot Superintendent. In 1961 Doug Campbell became Superintendent and remained through the 1962 fire season. In 1961 El Cariso became the first, and one of only two Interregional Hotshot Crews. The other crew was Del Rosa on the San Bernardino National Forest. A C-46 airplane was kept on call at Ontario Airport to transport the two crews upstate or out of region. Campbell's successor was Marv Stout and Gordon King followed him.

Gordon King was Superintendent at the time of the tragic Loop Fire in which 12 members of the El Cariso Hotshots perished. This fire occurred on November 1, 1966. The post Loop Fire era for the El Cariso Crew included many fires with no significant events. The crew Superintendents following Gordon included Steve Gallegos, Ron Campbell, Richard Aguillar, Greg Davis, Mike Smith, Hal Mortier, Ralph Chavez, Allen Johnson, Don Feser, and the current Superintendent Jay Bertek.

Crew size has varied over the years. In the early years through about 1970, the crew consisted of two fifteen-person squads, two foremen, an Assistant Superintendent, and the Superintendent. Today's crew make-up is seventeen firefighters, two Captains (Foremen), and the Superintendent.

The El Cariso Hot Shots were originally housed across the road from the El Cariso Engine Station on the Ortega Highway. Buildings included Quonset Huts, pit toilets, and a combination crew kitchen/training hall. In the early 1970's the crew was relocated to the Los Pinos Forestry Camp, Approximately 3 miles north and west of the original site. Here the crew shared the facility with Orange County youth offenders. A final move has put the crew in their current location. The El Cariso Hotshot camp is adjacent to the Forestry Camp on Cleveland National Forest land and they no longer coexist with the youth offenders.

When the crew was first formed, they used a cartoon version of a ruptured duck as their logo. A firefighter had to participate in hotline fire line construction as an El Cariso Hotshot to earn the right to wear the ruptured duck. Ruptured ducks are found today on tee shirts, hats, belt buckles, decals, and even body extremities in the form of tattoos.

The El Cariso Interregional Hotshot Crew is one of about (65) elite firefighting crews in the nation. Throughout the crew's almost 40 years, El Cariso has established quite a fire history. They have fought fires in every western state multiple times and have also traveled to the Southeast. They have participated in the suppression of approximately 500 different fires and have put in countless hours in the process. El Cariso has been involved in every large fire siege since their inception and most firefighters with any fire savvy at all have heard of this crew. Their reputation and performance has created a great tradition that is sure to continue. It is unknown how many current and ex-El Cariso Hotshots there are. Chances are conversation with any of them would reveal their time with El Cariso as some of the most memorable times of their life.

Fulton

Year(s)	Superintendent
1970	Ed Masonheimer (June-August)
1970-1982	William A. Sandborg, Jr.
1982	David R. Provencio, Jr. (Detail)
1983-1988	James Smith
1989-1994	Dan Kleinman
1995-1996	Shelby Charley (Detail)
1997	Luis Orozco (Detail)
1998-2013	Ron Bollier
2013-Present	Josh Acosta (Detail 2013)

The Fulton Hotshot Crew was started on the Greenhorn Ranger District, of the Sequoia National Forest as a 6-person suppression crew that worked out of the Fulton Ranger Station throughout the 1960's. There were two other 6-person suppression crews, one worked out of Davis Camp and the other worked out of Richbar Guard Station. When a fire assignment was required to be filled, the district combined the three crews for a total of 18 personnel and sent them to the assignment.

In 1969 and early 1970 the district combined and mobilized the three stations to form a total of 15-20 personnel. In the winter of 1969 and 1970 Ed Masonheimer formed the Fulton crew and became the first crew Foreman established at Fulton Ranger Station. Ed started the hiring, preparing for the crew, building barracks, acquiring a crew truck, but the crew did not show up for duty until late June of 1970. Ed was promoted to AFMO around the same time, and later, Bill Sandborg, in and around the month of August became the crew, Foreman. At this time, Bill Sandborg called the crew "Fulton Hotshots", while on fire assignments, and was severely reprimanded by Dick Montague, Region 5 Director of Fire and Aviation.

Although Bill put up an outstanding fight on why they should be called the Fulton Hotshots, he never convinced Dick Montague, Region 5 Director of Fire and Aviation, until 1973 when the crew was assigned to the Pilliken Fire on the Eldorado National Forest.

Well, the story goes as follows: apparently the crew had pulled five straight 24-hour shifts and picked up a large portion of the fire which was considered the highest priority on the incident. The Regional Fire Staff was visiting the incident due to its high publicity. Upon the completion of Fulton's assignment, Dick Montague visited the area of concern on the fire. At that time the Fulton crew was returning from their shift and ran into Dick Montague while walking off the fireline, after their 5 continuous shifts. Dick Montague was so impressed that at that time he announced, congratulated, and awarded Bill Sandborg, and the Fulton crew, as now being recognized as the Fulton Hotshots Nationally.

Although all the Hotshot Crews were being established around that time frame, Fulton was a little ahead of its time in 1973. This year, 2020, will mark 50 years from the time the Fulton Hotshots were established.

Golden Eagles

Year(s)	Superintendent
2000-2008	Ray Ruiz Sr.
2008-2012	Juan "Hugh" Mendez
2012-2014	Byron Alcantara
2014-2019	Rick "Mad" Madrigal
2019-Present	Robert Villegas

"PRESERVING THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE"

The Sycuan Fire Department / BIA GOLDEN EAGLES HOTSHOTS is one of seven BIA NIFC funded crews in the United States. The crew is the only BIA crew in the state of California assigned to the Pacific Regional Office out of Sacramento, Ca. and stationed in the Sycuan Indian Reservation. The crew is dispatched by the Cleveland National Forest where it is on rotation with the other three Forest Service Hotshot crews.

The GOLDEN EAGLES HOTSHOTS started as a request from the USDI Bureau of Indian Affairs Pacific Region. The region sent a letter to all reservation tribes expressing an interest in starting three Native American crews in the state of California. These crews were to be located regionally throughout California, in the southern, central, and northern parts of the state.

The Sycuan Fire Department of the Kumeyaay Nation took on this challenge and opportunity, bringing together a diverse group of people from many nations and different walks of life with the intent to develop, shape and mold crewmembers into an elite team of wildland firefighters. These courageous young men and women are destined to become our future leaders, role models and heroes both in Indian Country and in our communities across the nation.

The Sycuan Fire Department / BIA GOLDEN EAGLES HOTSHOTS organization was established June 15, 2000, under the name "Golden Eagles Handcrew." The crew was initially a Type II crew, working towards IHC certification. The crew's funding came via a cooperative agreement between The Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation and USDI Bureau of Indian Affairs, Southern California Agency. During this initial period, the crew was dispatch by the San Bernardino National Forest.

In August 2001, the GOLDEN EAGLES HANDCREW received recognition and status as a Type II "IA" Initial Attack Crew by the San Bernardino National Forest. This certification allowed the crew to take on Type I assignments, which helped to shape, mold and prepare the crew for eventual Type I certification.

In January of 2003 the Golden Eagles were recognized by BIA NIFC as a Type I IHC in training status, which provided the crew with partial funding from BIA NIFC Hotshot program for fiscal year 2003. The BIA and the Sycuan Tribe met in February 2003 to discuss how the program would operate. The main discussion point was whether the crew would be supervised directly by the BIA, or if the Sycuan Tribe would contract the BIA's program under Public Law 93-638 contract guidelines. The Tribe elected to have the crew hired by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Crew carriers were ordered, utilizing additional funding provided by the national office. After many months working within the federal hiring system, final personnel selections for the GOLDEN EAGLES HOTSHOTS "T" were made in August and September.

In February 2004, the Sycuan Tribe and the BIA met to review the progress of the crew. Again, a discussion on the advantages and disadvantages of the crew being operated by the BIA versus being contracted by the Tribe came up. The Sycuan Tribe decided that the benefits of being able to hire and fire employees utilizing the Tribal personnel system in a short time period was critical to the GOLDEN EAGLES IHC "T", especially during fire season. The BIA initiated the 638 contracting process and transferred BIA funds to the Tribe to manage the federal fire program. With this new hiring flexibility, the Tribe was able to hire the crew within a month. The Crew is funded with BIA federal funds, and is required to meet all federal IHC requirements to be considered a Federal Type I Hotshot Crew.

The 2004 fire season resulted in only a few dispatches, however, the crew worked diligently on meeting all of the required training and qualification standards established for Interagency Hotshot Crews.

In June 2005, an Interregional review team traveled to the Sycuan Reservation and spent several days observing the crew, reviewing all of their training and experience listed under the Incident Qualifications and Certification System. On the whole, the Crew performed favorably, however, a few of the requirements for certification as an Interagency Hotshot Crew needed to be strengthened and documented. The Crew was dispatched to numerous fires in California and out of the Region during the fire season. In September 2005, a follow up review was made to determine if the crew had been successful in completing the last few items that had been identified earlier that year. The review team found that all requirements had been met by the GOLDEN EAGLES IHC "T" to be certified. In October 2005, the BIA Pacific Regional Office certified the GOLDEN EAGLES as a fully qualified Interagency Hotshot Crew. The BIA, National Interagency Fire Center concurred with the certification that same month.

Groveland

Year(s)	Superintendent
Crew 4 Supervisors
1988	Mike Lanier
1989	Ron Garcia (Buck Meadows), Steve Nestor (Cherry Lake)
1990-1994	Ron Garcia
1995	Mike Lanier
1996-2000	Sam Cousins
2000-2002	Mike Lanier
Groveland Hotshot Superintendents
2003-2010	Mike Lanier (retired in place)
2011-Present	Pat Laeng

The foundation for the Groveland Hotshot crew began in 1988 as Stanislaus Crew 4, a 10 person Brush Disposal/Initial Attack crew lead by Mike Lanier and located at the Cherry Lake station on the Groveland Ranger District. In 1989 the crew became two ten person modules with one group at Cherry Lake and one at the District Office in Buck Meadows. From 1990 through 1995 the crew went back to a 10 person crew located in Buck Meadows. In 1996 the personnel was increased to 20 at one location with the same mission as previous years. With the build-up of crews in the early 2000's, Crew 4 was tabbed as one of the crews that would have the opportunity to work towards certification as a fully qualified Type 1 Hotshot Crew. Certification was gained in 2003.

Horseshoe Meadow

Year(s)	Superintendent
1974-1989	Ben Charley
1989-2006	Robert Bennett
2007-?	Joe Gonzales
2017-?	Dustin Hallam
2020-?	Candice Kutrosky

The "Horseshoe Meadow Crew" has been proudly serving the U.S. Forest Service since it was established in 1974 on the Hume Lake Ranger District of the Sequoia National Forest.

Ben Charley was the first Superintendent of the crew. The crew was stationed at Horseshoe Meadow KV (Knudsen-Vanderbilt) camp. Originally there were 25 crewmembers, this allowed for seven day a week staffing. In the late 70's due to budget short falls, manpower programs such as California Indian Manpower Consortium and Young Adult Conservation Crops were used through Native American programs to hire crewmembers. The philosophy behind this was to create diversity and develop a young, strong, workforce. It also provided the District and Forest with a multiple-use resource.

In 1980, the crew earned Hotshot status through a reputation of hard work and safe firefighting becoming the Horseshoe Meadow Interagency Hotshots. Ben Charley retired in 1989, but his famous line of "only two more chains, we're almost tied in!" Is still spoken as a motivation tool on Horseshoe to this day. Robert Bennett took over leading Horseshoe as Supt. in August of 1989 and lead the crew until he retired in October of 2006. "Horseshoe Bob" continued the tradition that Ben started in the early 70's and provided the Forest Service with a highly respected and hard-working Interagency Hotshot crew.

In May of 2007 Joe Gonzales was hired to lead Horseshoe as the Superintendent. His contributions during his 10 year stint upheld the standards of preserving the legacy, prestige and tradition established before him.

In June 2017, Dustin Hallam was hired to lead Horseshoe as the Superintendent. In June 2020, Candice Kutrosky accepted the Horseshoe Meadow Superintendent position.

Inyo

1974-1978	2008-2011	2014-Present

Year(s)	Superintendent
1974-1978	Tim McMullen
2002-2003	Tim Keller
2004	Jeff Lucas (Detail)
2005-2011	Ron Riise
2012	Candace Kutrosky
2013-2015	Glen Tingley
2016-2018	Lance Rosen
2019-Present	Joel Schilling

The Inyo Hotshot Crew was founded in the spring of 1974 and was based at the Mammoth Ranger District, Inyo National Forest. Originally, the crew was named "Mammoth Hotshots," but this was quickly changed to "Inyo" in order to encompass a total forest concept of support and participation. The word "Inyo" is Paiute, and means "dwelling place of a Great Spirit." The crew logo was a drawing of a mountain man crossing a stream in the Sierras.

Starting a crew from scratch was a tremendous challenge, and coming in contact with well- established crews, such as Mark Linane's Los Prietos Hotshots, and Charlie Caldwell's Redding Hotshots, was initially intimidating, but we learned a lot from these folks and just as importantly, we earned the respect of the other Hotshot Crews by the end of the 1975 season.

In 1976 we acquired an Air Force surplus 1967 International 29-passenger bus. Hard to believe, but that bus became the envy (only a slight exaggeration) of the Region. Due to donated time and labor by the crew, the bus was installed with reclining aircraft seats, refrigerator, sound system, tool bin, painted and lettered for the start of the '76 season. Each season saw improvements and by the '76 season we had obtained IR status, which is something we were quite proud of...

While fighting fire on the Cleveland at the end of August 1978 we were informed that our crew and several others were being disbanded due to budget. After a near riot of angry crews in camp the last night, we left the next morning saying our good-byes to our comrades as we rode out in that ol' bus blazing the "Star Wars" theme on our speakers.

The Foremen were Lance Heister (1974-1978), Rick McCool (1974), and Dan Whitmore (1975- 1978).

I'm quite proud of what we accomplished in such a short period of time, and the respect we received from our peers speaks for itself. In preparing this short bio, I looked back on crew records, and I was reminded of why I originally chose to do what I do -- and I hope to carry that spirit until retirement and not get bogged down in superficial or meaningless work programs and politics we are sometimes faced with...

Tim McMullen, Superintendent -- Inyo Hotshots -- 1974-1978

Tim McMullen continues to be an advocate and role model for the present crew after 45 years.

In 2001, after a 23 year lapse, the Inyo National Forest acquired funding to re-establish a handcrew. Initially two separate 10 person modules were formed; Inyo Crew 3, stationed on the White Mountain Ranger District in Bishop, CA and Inyo Crew 2 stationed in Mammoth Lakes. These modules had a primary mission of fuels reduction projects across the Forest as well as Bishop Field Office BLM lands with fire suppression being a collateral duty. That first year the two crews would marry up to form a 20 person Type II crew for off forest fire assignments.

When funding increased nationally for fire suppression resources in 2002, the White Mt. Fire Management Staff (Jeff Iler and Terry Molzhan) turned down the offer of a third Type III engine for the district and instead decided to bring Crew 3 up to IHC standards. With the new org chart finalized, Tim Keller was hired to fill the Superintendent position that same year. It was Tim who decided on the name Boundary Peak, after one of the prominent peaks in the White Mountain range.

In 2003 with full capacity at 20 people productivity increased dramatically with the crew completing not only a complete remodel of the old Forest Fire Cache into the crews' new offices, but also project work (thinning, brushing roads, fuel breaks and Rx burning) resulting in approximately 5,000 acres treated and a handful of fires for about 700 hours of overtime. In 2005 the crew moved its offices once again into the old Forest Radio shop, which offered more room for offices, ready room, training room and cache. By 2008 the crew was finally able to maintain all the necessary permanent positions with the required qualifications.

On August 11th, 2008, after seven years of growth, improvement and hard work, the crew succeeded in becoming officially recognized as Type 1 and chose to hold onto its name as the Boundary Peak Hotshots.

In 2011, the crew temporarily lost its status as a Hotshot Crew, but through hard work and an effort to maintain and improve upon the crew's traditions, they reestablished themselves as Type 1 in 2014. It was at this time that the decision was made to return the crew name to the original Inyo Hotshots, in order to recognize not only its Forest-wide mission, but also to honor the hard work and tradition that was cut short by the "Hotshot Massacre" of 1978.

Kern Valley

Year(s)	Superintendent
1983-2000	Anthony Escobar
2001-2009	Ron Napoles
2010-present	Leif Mathiesen

Much of the credit for the formation of the Kern Valley Interagency Hotshot Crew lies with former Bakersfield District FMO Rick Haffenfeld. In the early eighties, Rick often had trouble getting resources to his fires, especially hotshot crews. Rick viewed having a hotshot crew on the district as a solution, and after obtaining support from State FMO Pat Kidder and Bakersfield District Manager Bob Reihner, he started the process of putting together a crew. He began with the selection of a Superintendent. Rick's quest to find the right person for the job took him to the nearby Los Padres National Forest. In the spring of 1983, a 26 year old Anthony Escobar reported for duty.

The crew was initially a collection of BLM and Forest Service firefighters known as Crew 6 who worked out of the Blackrock Work Center on the Sequoia National Forest. Rick's plan in the early years was to find the crew work by sending them to Alaska early in the season. As the season progressed, the crew would move south bringing with them many of the Alaska personnel. From the Alaska bunch the crew gained several hotshots and smokejumpers, most notably Mike Bowls, who would go on to be Captain 1A. Other noteworthy additions to the crew were Phil Hawkins and Joe Caldwell who came from the Susanville BLM. For key positions, Anthony chose people he had worked with on the LPF. Among these were Ray Ruiz and Brian Fennessy (Buster). Brian would go on to become Captain 1B.

In 1985 Anthony became a BLM permanent employee and all the crewmembers were now strictly BLM. The crew was stationed at Chimney Peak Fire Station. The 'Peak' as it was known consisted of three large trailers and a mess hall. The station was powered by generator and lacked phone service. The crewmembers stayed in small two-person travel trailers situated uphill from the station. The 1985 fire season was busy and several large fires burned in Southern California. During the Wheeler Ridge fire near Ojai the crew was able to turn the corner on a key piece of line enabling containment of the 180,000-acre fire. Anthony regards this fire as the seminal point when the crew became a hotshot crew. At this time there was no formal process for certifying hotshot crews. Through informal peer recognition by the R5 hotshot crew superintendents present, the crew was a hotshot crew. The crew would come to be designated as Crew 1, the Kern Valley Interagency Hotshot Crew.

In 1986, the Crew had begun working on the Pacific Crest Trail pioneering in the least accessible portion known as the Spanish needles section. In 1986 crewmembers hiked in 10 sections of 20 foot long channel iron and an oxygen acetylene torch and built an iron structure into the hillside to hold the trail in place. This area came to be known as the "Iron Works."

In the spring of 1988 several crewmembers came on early to work the trail, among them was Ron Napoles. The small crew pioneered trail north, using Pionjars, rock bars and picks. A certified blaster, Anthony and various crewmembers would drill and blast rocks and stumps from the path as needed. In May of that year the crew tied in the final section of the Spanish needles; connecting the last open portion of the Pacific Crest Trail in California. The 1988 fire season was very active. Most notable was a 38 day trip spent mostly on large fires in and around Yellowstone National Park.

In the years from 1989-1993 the Crew was stationed out of the vacated Kern County Fire station 42 on Niles Street. The station was equipped with a kitchen, barracks, offices and large engine bays. In 1990 Ron Napoles was selected as a crew foreman and took over the A-Module.

The 1994 fire season began with the crew moving to the newly constructed Bakersfield Field Office. Long-time captain Jesus Robles left the Crew and a new group emerged. The Crew acquired a small group of high performers in Ken Bell, Leif Mathiesen, and Heath Cota. The Crew remained largely relevant as a line cutting crew- pulling off strong shifts when it mattered. The Crew made appearances at the 1993 Marre Fire, 1994 South Canyon Fire, 1996 Ackerson Complex and the 1999 Kirk Fire.

In 2001, Anthony Escobar accepted the Assistant Fire Management Officer position on the Bakersfield BLM and moved down the hall. Among his responsibilities was supervising the crew. Ron Napoles was selected to the Superintendent position and Leif Mathiesen the Assistant.

The Kern Valley Hotshots have had a total of 3 crew superintendents and all have worked together and with each other on the Crew. There is only one contiguous version of the Kern Valley Hotshots. The initial approach, lessons, values, and work processes simply continue to be improved and refined to meet new challenges.

Kings River

Year(s)	Superintendent
2001-2006	Ron Garcia
2007-2013	Isaac Naylor
2013-2021	Joaquin Marquez
2021-Present	Kelly Haines

The Kings River Hotshots was organized on the Sierra National Forest in 2001, but was first recognized as SNF Crew 2, a type 2 crew prior to the name given by the original crew members at the end of the fire season 2001.

The crew name "Kings River" was chosen after the old district name Kings River R.D. and for its geographical location. The vast changes in terrain and elevation ranging from 1,300ft at the lowest point at our current location at Trimmer Work Center, to 12,400ft following the north fork of the Kings River Drainage shared with the Kings Canyon Nation Park. The animal chosen for the logo was the mountain lion for its agility, strength, and demeanor.

In March, 2001 the crew started with three permanent employees and a warehouse filled with district fire tools and miscellaneous fire supplies, including one ¾ ton pick-up and two hold-over crew hauls re-outfitted for crew use. Most of the crew overhead had worked, or came directly from surrounding area Hotshot crews, fuels crews, engines and had worked together on many of the same fires before choosing to work on the Kings River crew in 2001.

Building the Crew in 2001 was a work in progress, filling the temporary positions with mostly local personnel in and around the surrounding communities of Fresno, Clovis, Reedley, Auberry and other small towns in the area. Others came as far as Medford, Oregon and Santa Fe, New Mexico. Crew cohesion, teamwork and leadership was the priority along with building an identity for the crew, to accomplish forest projects, prescribe burning, initial attack response and provide a nationally recognized resource.

June of 2002 was the year Kings River Hotshots received Type I status and has strived to improve and develop into a dedicated Hotshot Crew, providing elements leading to success through strong leadership, dedication and overall commitment to the Professional Wildland Firefighting Organization.

Trimmer Work Center is still the crew's permanent location on the High Sierra Ranger District, Sierra National Forest, located east of Fresno and Clovis approximately 40 miles. The work center is shared with Sierra Helitack 520, Engine 41, Prevention units along with miscellaneous district personnel.

Laguna

Year(s)	Superintendent
?	Jim Huston

The Laguna Hotshot name was first used in the 1950's when the Descanso Ranger District financed a forest crew and based them at Camp Ole on Mount Laguna. Camp Ole was previously a CCC camp and had facilities for housing the crew and was close to areas of work. The crew was around for 4 years until funding became unavailable and the crew was disbanded. The following year the El Cariso Hotshots were founded on the Trabuco Ranger District.

In 1974, the Laguna Hotshots were once again established and based at Camp Ole. This became the second Hotshot Crew on the Cleveland National Forest. The Base at camp Ole was again used because it was the only place on the district that had housing, offices, and a space to handle a 20 person Hotshot Crew. The crew shared an office with the Laguna Engine Crew and brought in an old dilapidated travel trailer to use as a tool room. The barracks and office were all in the same building and were from the CCC days.

Kyle Rayon, wife of 1974 crewmember Howard Rayon, designed the Oak Tree emblem. The Oak Tree was used to reflect the Cleveland National Forest and specifically the Descanso Ranger District.

Due to the poor conditions of the old facilities at Camp Ole, the Laguna Hotshots moved to the Descanso Compound with the Descanso Engine Crews in the town of Descanso. In 2004, the Laguna Hotshots will celebrate their 30th Anniversary. To this day, the Laguna Hotshots still carry on the crew colors and traditions.

Little Tujunga

Year(s)	Superintendent
1970-1973	Rod Wrench
1974-1976	Walt Sniegowski
1977-1980	John Stevenson
2007-2012	Bob Garcia
2012-2014	Alexander Liau
2014-2018	Oscar Vargas
2018-Present	Joseph "JB" Button

Following the devastating flood of 1934 the Flood Control Act of 1936 was enacted by the

U.S. Congress to build flood control channels and structures throughout the Los Angles basin and along the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains within the L.A. River watershed of the Angeles National Forest. Then again in 1938 one of the worst floods in the history of L.A. County, killing 85 people and creating millions of dollars of damage, the funding was increased and expanded for decades to come. Hence the creation of certain Forest Service fire suppression crews to protect this valuable watershed in about 1948. The Little Tujunga Hot Shots and their facility were established in 1970 and was a L.A. River watershed funded crew.

The construction of the state of the art Hot Shot facility at the existing Little Tujunga station began in 1969 and was completed in June of 1970. Rod Wrench, a crew foreman with Del Rosa Hot Shots, SBNF, was hired as the first GS-7 Superintendent on May 3, 1970. Walt Sniegowski and Gary Glotfelty were hired on June 1, 1970 as the GS-6 and GS-5 crew foreman. 20 crew members and a cook were hired on July 1, 1970. While waiting for permanent transportation the crew was first transported in a Forest Service stake side truck with metal tool bins that also served as seating for the crew. A Forest Service 26 passenger International bus with the tool storage in a separate rear compartment was soon acquired and used that fire season. The superintendent had a half ton Chevrolet pickup. Both vehicles were equipped with red light and siren.

The crew's first fire was the Kashmere Fire on July 1st. It was a class C fire off the Soledad Road near Action in L.A. County jurisdiction. On July 5th the crew's first off forest fire assignment was the Skinner Ridge Fire, a class E, in the Little Sur of the Los Padres N. F. The crew fought 20 fires in 1970. The five forest Hot Shot crews were rotated for off forest assignments. The 1970 fire season concluded on November 13th with the 70,000 acre Santa Ana wind blown Bear Fire on the San Bernardino N.F.

On February 9, 1971 at 6:01 AM the 6.6 magnitude Sylmar earthquake occurred. Even though the epicenter was in Iron Canyon north of Bear Divide and shook the District violently the damage was the greatest at the Little Tujunga station with minor to moderate damage occurring to the other facilities on the District. The Hot Shot facility was severely damaged, the engine crews barracks was a total loss and the building that housed the engine, office, and shop had moderate damage. Engine 54 was moved 90 degrees and sitting sideways inside the garage. Both residence were damaged enough to make them unlivable. The two mobile homes were knocked off their piers 3 to 4 feet and the superintendent's double wide mobile was split in half. All utilities were severely damage and unusable. It was a mess.

For the first part of the 1971 fire season the crew worked out of the Little Tujunga engine crew's garage and office that survived the quake well enough to allow the Hot Shot and engine crews to occupy. Later that season the crew moved up to the Big Tujunga Station where they remained until it was decided what to do with the Little Tujunga station site.

There were three alternatives considered as to what to do with the station. One was not to rebuild but to abandon the site and not have a station at all. Another was to tear every thing down and relocate the station somewhere else and the third alternative was to repair and rebuild the 1 year old Hot Shot facility and move the engine and its crew there also. In September of 1972, nineteen months after the earthquake, a contract was awarded to repair the structure. Prior to the contractor taking over the site for reconstruction the Little Tujunga Hot Shots and forest engineering demolished the south end of the structure, deemed unsafe and beyond repair. This is where the day room, dining room, kitchen and cooks quarters were located. Heavy equipment, dump trucks, jack hammers, cutting torches, dynamite and strong backs were used to bring down this portion of the one year old structure. When the large concrete footings were blasted, chucks of concrete debris rained down on the station trailer park, on the other side of the ridge that separated the two locations, denting roof tops. The reconstruction plan was to have two separate buildings instead of the one originally constructed. The architectural design was changed moderately for this plan.

The Engine barracks was bulldozed down, and the Hot Shot crew tore down the old residence at the entrance to the station and also the old Lopez station in Lopez Canyon. The Fire Control Officer's residence, where Hugh Masterson had lived, would be repaired at a later date and used as an interpretative and fire prevention office. This building is now part of the District office.

The bids to rebuild came in $121,000 over the engineers estimate due to the cost of repairing the water and sewer system. Engineering and the District felt Forest Service personnel could do this for $85,000. Rod Wrench was placed in charge of repairing the utility system and he and Gary Glotfelty started the job in 1972 utilizing a closed circuit television system to locate damage in the sewer system and special plumbing parts to repair the water and sewer systems. With the help of L.A. County Camp 15's crew they constructed a 50,000-gallon water storage tank above the station and plumbed it into the old system.

A well in Merek Creek was installed and plumbed to a pump house that is located in front of the district office. The work was completed eight months later in 1973. Rod and Gary both received a Special Achievement award from the Forest for saving $50,000 and a job well done. District Fire Management Officer Cal Yarbrough was also very instrumental in the success of this project.

Due to a test trial of a district fire management re-organization in May of 1972, the Hot Shot Superintendent, Rod Wrench, was made responsible for the management and supervision of one of three geographical areas of the district. He would be the Hot Shot superintendent but in that position he would also supervise the Little Tujunga engine and FPT, the Big Tujunga engine and FPT, and the Mendenhall lookout. The Fire Prevention Officer and the Bear Divide Helitack superintendent were the other area managers. They were all responsible for the suppression, prevention, law enforcement activities, recreation site and trail maintenance in their given areas.

The Hot Shot crew returned to the newly repaired facility at Little Tujunga in August of 1973.

The Hot Shots were a multitask crew and utilized for just about anything and everything that needed to be done District and Forest wide. They were used as a road crew repairing and installing drains, a trail and recreation crew building and maintaining district trails and campgrounds, a fuels management crew constructing and maintaining fuel breaks, a hazard abatement crew clearing weeds along the roadside and around district facilities and recreation sites, a demolition crew taking down earthquake damaged structures, special use structures in Big Tujunga Canyon and old unwanted abandoned structures where ever they existed. After large fires they would go to the South Zone fire warehouse in Arcadia and clean, repair and reorganize fire hose, cots, headlamps, canteens and everything else at the fire cache. They were used on a number of District construction projects such as building concrete water tanks and installing the plumbing system, landscaping stations and the list goes on. All of this and still maintained their equipment, trained and fought fire with no fire or project related accidents.

In 1973 the district fire organization returned to the more traditional structure and Wrench became the GS-7 suppression assistant in October of that year. He continued to supervise and respond to off forest fire assignments with the Hot Shot crew until the end of the 1973 fire season.

In 1974 Walt Sniegowski became the GS-7 Little Tujunga Hot Shot superintendent. Gary Glotfelty became the GS-6 Engine foreman at Little Tujunga in 1972 and in September of 1975 Rod Wrench was promoted to the newly upgraded GS-9 Assistant District Fire Management Officer and in January 1980 left the district to be promoted to District Fire Management Officer on the San Jacinto Ranger District of the San Bernardino National Forest.

In 1980 the Little Tujunga Hot Shots were disbanded for budget reasons, the facility continued to be used as the South Zone Training Center. In 2007 they were reestablished. The Little Tujunga Hotshot crew is now well reestablished in its original Hotshot Base at Little Tujunga station that was built for the crew in the 1970's and is no longer co-located with the training center

BY ROD WRENCH RETIRED DIVISION CHIEF, SAN JACINTO R.D., SAN BERNARDINO N.F.

Los Padres

Year(s)	Superintendent
1948-1951	Ezra Braden
1951-1953	Gordon Garrett
1953-1955	Edwin Benson
1955-1958	John Malmen
1958-1965	H. "Porky" Moreno
1965-1968	Richard Calkins
1970-1972	Richard Grandalski
1973-1999	Mark Linane (retired in place)
2000-2009	Stan Stewart
2009-2016	Steve Molacek
2017-Present	Matt Aoki

The Los Padres Hot Shot Crew was established in 1948 as an initial attack and follow up crew for the Los Padres National Forest, which stretches from Monterey, California to Los Angeles, California. In 1948 a fire engine was assigned to the crew as well as a crew truck. The Los Padres Hotshot Crew's primary mission was to provide wild land fire protection to the Santa Ynez Watershed that provides the primary water supply for the communities of Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, Montecito, Goleta and the Santa Ynez Valley.

From 1948 to 1965 the crew comprised of thirty-five crewmembers that provided seven-day coverage with twenty-four crewmembers. Crews were hired locally and staffed with forestry school student referrals as well as congressional referrals. This hiring procedure continued through 1965. When students returned to school, R-5, R-6, and R-1 Smokejumpers were hired to finish out the season.

In 1953 a three barracks complex and mess hall/office were constructed at the Los Prietos Ranger Station approximately 20 miles north of Santa Barbara.

In 1957 a Bell B-1 Helicopter was assigned to the crew for helitack and helishot assignments. The copter stayed with the crew until 1962 when it was designated as a separate unit.

In 1965 the crew name was changed to the Los Prietos Hotshots due to the addition of two other crews on the Forest (Monterey Hotshots & Ozena Hotshots both now disbanded). In 1974 the Ojai Hotshots were added to the Forest, which are now also disbanded. Due to no other hotshot crews remaining on the Forest, the crew name was changed back to the Los Padres Hotshots in 1994. In 1965 the crew strength was cut to twenty with five-day coverage to allow crews Inter- Regional mobilization by aircraft such as the DC-3 and Convair. In 1960 the chainsaw became the tool of choice and replaced the brush hook and misery whip.

The late sixties and early seventies (the post Vietnam years) brought in a lot of veterans to the organization. In 1976 Deanne Shulman joined the crew as the first woman hotshot in R-5. She later went on to become the first woman smokejumper. In the late sixties and early seventies, the crew did the first experimental testing, in conjunction with MTDC, of fire line explosives and shot 10,000 feet on the Rattlesnake Fire (LPF) in 1975, which was the first use of FLE on a wildfire in R-5.

The crew has fought fire in all the States west of the Mississippi, Alaska and throughout R-8. Some of the more notable fires were the Monrovia (1958), Bel Aire (1961), Coyote (1964), Wellman (1966), Marble Cone (1977), Canyon Creek (1988) and the Paint (1990).

The crew continues to provide a professional, multi-skilled, experienced resource to all wildland fire agencies throughout the United States.

Mill Creek

Original Logo from 70’s and 80’s	Current Crew Logo

Year(s)	Superintendent
1975-1978	Mike Goldenbee
1981-1982	George Motschall
2002-2012	Pete Coy
2012-Present	John Ellison

The Mill Creek Hotshots are a 20 person California Hotshot Crew. The crew has a history that dates back to 1975. At that time the crew was established at the Mill Creek Ranger Station on the San Gorgonio Ranger District of the San Bernardino National Forest. The Mill Creek Hotshots started up in 1975 under Superintendent Mike Goldenbee. George Motschall became the next Superintendent in 1981 and he ran the crew for the next two years. Mill Creek became the victims of budget cuts and disappeared at the end of the 1982 fire season along with several Southern California Hotshot Crews from the Cleveland and Angeles National Forests.

The Mill Creek Hotshots were resurrected in 2002 as part of a dramatic buildup of fire suppression resources in California with increases of the federal fire management budget. Pete Coy was hired as Superintendent and guided the Crew in attaining their Hotshot status in 2003. Pete Coy retired in June 2012 and was succeeded by John Ellison who is still in place as Superintendent. The crew is stationed at the Mill Creek Visitor Center on the (now) Front Country District and still uses the same facilities as the original Mill Creek Hotshots three decades prior. The crew continues to serve in the tradition of the Mill Creek Hotshots of years past and the California Hotshot Community.

Oak Grove

Year(s)	Superintendent
1950-1952	Eddie Lundgren
1953-1956	Harold (Tex) Strange
1957	Dave Westfall
1958-1960	Kenneth R. David
1961-1962	Tom Ralls
1963-1964	George Pond
1965-1967	Marty Barrows
1967-1971	Larry Boggs
1971	Mal Ellison (Aug-Oct)
1971-1973	Chet Cash (acting Oct 1971-May 1972)
1974-1978	Steve Arney

The Oak Grove facility was started as a Civilian Conservation Corps camp (CCC), Company 903, Forest Number-133, May 16, 1933. The land belonged to the city of Pasadena and the Forest Service, Angeles National Forest, entered into a long- term lease agreement with the city for $1, to extend for 99 years.

Originally, the CCC camp buildings were all constructed of wood. The buildings were used as an office, barracks, and for storage space.

With the deactivation of the CCC and the camps in 1942, the Forest Service no longer had a large, organized, firefighting workforce. The location was transitioned into the Arroyo Seco Ranger District headquarters and fire station. For many years, the facilities were tents that supplied the barracks, and mess hall.

At some point between the years 1950 and 1954, the Forest Service secured seven small military surplus, four person-sleeping quarters. These units were made of plywood, painted military green, and were used for some or all of the crewmembers. These types of structures were often called "flappers" due to a hinged plywood window cover, that when shut, always seemed to "flap" in the wind.

In 1958, there were only four of the seven structures left, and were then being used for storage. The last four military surplus structures were removed sometime around 1960.

The first Hotshot crew on the Angeles National Forest was the Oak Grove Hotshot crew, approved in 1950. Eddie Lundgren, then on Cleveland N.F. was selected for the position of the first Hotshot Superintendent. In 1950, one of the old wooden CCC barracks was partitioned off and converted into a one bedroom, one bath, and residence for Eddie and wife to live in.

In 1953, the construction of permanent facilities was started. These buildings were made using concrete block instead of plywood and canvas. Nappy Martin, field engineer in charge, was using force account personnel for the construction of the buildings. However, sometime during that summer, the local masonry labor union found out that the Forest Service was constructing their own buildings and made a complaint about the Forest Service using force account labor. The union was successful in getting the Forest Service to stop the force account work.

Shortly afterword, construction of the new facilities was resumed with the union workers. Union labor completed construction of the three barracks buildings, a mess hall, warehouse, garage, and the district office buildings. All of the structures were constructed using cinder block.

In 1957, the Superintendents house was constructed on the compound, next to the District Ranger Office. The Superintendent's house was a three bedroom, one bath, and was also constructed with cinder block.

After the Hotshot Superintendents house was constructed, there were no additional buildings built during the remaining life of the station. However, there were three trailer sites constructed for Forest Service personnel to rent and live on. Fire crew supervisors used most of these sites.

Following the devastating flood of 1934 the Los Angeles River Flood Prevention Act of 1936 was enacted by the U.S. Congress to build flood control channels and structures throughout the Los Angles basin and along the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains within the L.A. River watershed of the Angeles National Forest. Then again in 1938 one of the worst floods in the history of L.A. County, killing 85 people and creating millions of dollars of damage, the funding was increased and expanded for decades to come. Hence, the creation of certain Forest Service fire suppression crews to protect this valuable watershed in about 1948.

In the early years, two of the Angeles National Forest Hotshot crews were funded using Los Angeles River watershed funds. These crews were Oak Grove and Chilao Hotshots. Los Angeles River watershed funding for the Forest Service Hotshot crews, was to help reduce the size of wildfires, control these fires quickly, and reduce burned watershed acreage. Los Angeles County wanted to reduce the amount of damage to water channels, roads, culvert, structures, flooding, and the debris damage during the winter months. The control of wildfires quickly, would also reduce the funding needed for the repair caused by large wildfires. During the mid 70's, flood control funding for the Hotshot crews stopped, putting additional pressure on the regional fire budget. In the years the Los Angeles River Flood Prevention Act funded the fire crews, the allocation of funds was approximately $1,300,000 each year, for a number of years, and helped construct needed facilities.

Ojai

Year(s)	Superintendent
1974-1979	Bob Burnett
1980-1981	Ish Messer
1982	Bob Becker

The Ojai Hotshots were established in 1974 as a result of recommendations from the 1972 Region 5 Base Fire Plan. This gave the Los Padres NF a Hotshot crew on the south- ern end of the Forest and Region 5 another Hotshot crew with quick access to the adjoin- ing Angeles NF and South Zone. The crew logo is that of a California Condor, an endangered and protected bird who's historical range encompassed much of the Ojai Ranger District.

Bob Burnett, a former Los Prietos HS and then Wheeler Gorge Tanker Foreman, was se- lected as Superintendent. The hiring of John Szalay and Terry Raley as foremen com- pleted the overhead structure. The crew was stationed at the old Ranger District office on Ojai Ave in Ojai and operated out of the warehouse complex. No housing or barracks were available for crew members. Crew transportation consisted of "Little Winker", an 18 passenger bus, passed on from the Los Prietos HS and a Superintendents pickup truck.

In 1976 Craig Lecheither replaced John Szalay as foreman and he and Raley worked to- gether for 2 fire seasons. In the fall of 1977 Raley and Ish Messer swapped positions, with Raley moving to the Rose Valley Helitack Crew and Messer becoming the Ojai HS foreman. More overhead changes occurred in 1978 as Lechleiter took a position with the Redding HS in June and Mike Freed was hired as a Squad Leader in a career position.

The crew was cut mid August 1978 in what was known as the "Hotshot Massacre". For budget reasons upwards of 10 Region 5 hotshot crews were disbanded mid-season due to monetary constraints. Fortunately for the Ojai HS crew members, all those who wanted to keep working were found positions on District engines or with the Rose Valley Flight Crew.

Fire funding was regained and the crew returned for the 1979 season. Bob Burnett contin- ued as Superintendent, with returning Ish Messer and Steve Slagowski, hired from the District, as foremen. Mike Freed also returned and filled in as foreman as needed. The crew found new quarters at Casitas Station, a move that provided bunk space for 8 crew members. Slagowski departed later in 1979, returning to his previous prevention position.

Major changes occurred in 1980. Superintendent Burnett left for a District fuels position and was replaced by foreman Ish Messer. Bob Becker became one of the crew foremen coming on-board from the disbanded Rose Valley Helishot crew and was joined later in the season by Lloyd Howry. Mike Freed also departed, moving on to a District fuels posi- tion working for Burnett. A larger bus, from the disbanded Helishot crew, also arrived in 1980. 1981 saw overhead stability continuing with Messer as Superintendent, Becker and Howry foreman. A barracks trailer was placed on site at Casitas providing additional bunk space for 3.

1982 proved to be the last season for the Ojai HS crew. Messer left to become the Ojai Prevention ADFMO and foreman Bob Becker was detailed as Superintendent. Howry also left, transferring to Rose Valley Helitack and was replaced by Steve Mortensen from the Wheeler Gorge Engine. Although unfunded by the Region the crew was able to re- main on duty, with Ojai and Mt. Pinos District project funding covering costs when the crew was not on fire assignment. The Ojai HS crew was disbanded at the end of the fiscal year 30 September 1982.

Doug Campbell, District FMO, was a big supporter and early advocate of the Ojai Hot- shot crew.

Palomar

Year(s)	Superintendent
1975-1979	Gary Glotfelty
1979-1982	Barry Callenberger
2002-2006	Wes Ruise
2007-present	Stan Hill

The Palomar Hotshots were organized in 1975. The first Superintendent was Gary Glotfelty, and the first foreman was George Mangle. The crew was made up of career conditional positions. Some of whom later became Superintendents of other crews, Bob Bennett and Dennis Baldridge. The Crew was based at the US Naval Survival Camp in Warner Springs, California. It was the only Hotshot base to have its own store and enlisted man's club (bar). To be stationed at a Navy installation meant that we also had to follow Navy regulations and protocols. We did get a chance to learn about survival in the wilderness since the base specialized in training Navy fliers to survive after a crash, or after being shot down in enemy territory. The crew lasted until 1978 when it fell in the "great hotshot massacre" at the end of the season.

In 1979 the crew came back as a district hand crew with Barry Callenberger as the Superintendent and Charlie Brown as the foreman. The crew was stationed at the Henshaw YACC camp, on the Palomar District of the Cleveland National Forest. In 1980 the crew regained its Hotshot status and a second foreman, Tim Swedberg, as well as a new office at the Oak Grove Engine Station. Then in the fall of 1981 the crew was cut again after just two seasons. For several years through the 1980's the crew was organized as a district crew with Dennis Baldridge as the Superintendent. After Dennis became the Superintendent of the Laguna Hotshots, the Palomar crew fell on hard times and faded away. Once again in 2002 the National Fire Plan resurrected the Palomar Hotshots. The crew started this time as a Type 2 IA crew and was certified as a Regional Hotshot crew on July 22, 2005. At that time the superintendent was Wes Ruise Jr. with Jacob Gipson and Stan Hill as the crew foremen. Wes was on the Palomar Hotshot crew in 1980 and 1981.

Throughout the crew's history it did participate during a time when there were some of the largest wildfires throughout the west. Such as the Panorama, Marble Cone, Mine fire, Cedar, and more. The current version of the Palomar Hotshots reside in a converted Forest Service 9 - bay building at the Oak Grove Fire station. Many well respected members of the fire community have been on the Palomar Hotshots at one time during their careers, here are some; Carlton Joseph, Dennis Baldridge, Bob Bennett, George Corley, Ted Visser, Dale Donahue, Dave Kerr, Jim Talbot, Kenny Yarger, and Robert Sanders to name a few.

Those of us that are here now are charged with carrying on the Palomar Hotshot name for all of those who came before.

Rio Bravo Hotshots

Year(s)	Superintendent
1989-1991	Grant Young
1994-1997	Grant Young
1998-2002	John Smith
2003-?	Jimmie Rocha

Located in the mountains south of Lake Isabella California, the Rio Bravo Hotshots was started by the Kern County Fire Dept and Grant Young in 1989. Since then it has grown to be the only county federally recognized IHC.

The crew was started by the Kern County Fire Department as a ten-person initial attack crew. The county funded three IA crews around the county. The crews were made up of ten seasonal firefighters, and a extra help firefighter and a crew leader, usually a fire department engineer. These crews worked an eight day on and four day off cycle and were made up of college students needing summer employment.

Because of the climate and topography of Kern County, it is essential that we maintain a fire fighting hand crew within the Kern County Fire Department. In 1989 Black Mountain Hotshots, the original name for Rio Bravo, was formed. Headed by Grant Young and John Smith, the crew provided initial attack and extended attack for the county. Due to poor economy the crew was disbanded in 1992 through 1993.

In 1994 the budget came back and the crew was started up again. A crew in region four was currently using the name Black Mountain Hotshots so we adopted the name Rio Bravo, after the old Spanish settlers name for the Kern River. Because the overhead had previously worked on forest service hotshot crews they shaped the crew like one with seventeen seasonal firefighters and two crew Foremen and a crew Superintendent. In 1996 the crew began to travel throughout California.

In 1998 John Smith took over as superintendent and in 2000 the crew began to travel out side of California. In 2000 Rio Bravo became the first and only nationally recognized local government Interagency Hotshot Crew. In 2003 Jimmie Rocha became our Superintendent.

Sierra Hotshots

Year(s)	Superintendent
1976-1979	Steve Raddatz
1980-?	John Szalay
1987	Mike Freed (Detail)
?-1989	John Szalay
1990-?	Steve Slate
1995	Mike Freed (Detail)
?-1997	Steve Slate
1998-2014	Ken Jordan (retired in place)
2014-Present	Alan Roby

The Sierra Hotshots have been an organized crew on the Sierra National Forest since 1976.

The first home of the crew was at the Blue Canyon Work Center on the Kings River Ranger District. In 1981, in order to make the crew more available for off forest assignments and air transportation, the crew was reassigned to the San Joaquin Experimental Range about 25 miles north of Fresno on Highway 41. The crew was assigned to the Bass Lake Ranger District (now the Mariposa / Minarets Ranger District).

In 1990 the Hotshots were asked to move again, this time to the Batterson Work Center, just north of the town of Oakhurst (south of Yosemite) where they are based out of today.

The Sierra Hotshots have had five Superintendents since the crew's inception.

Springville

Year(s)	Superintendent
2001-2004	Robert Sanders
2004-Present	Jack Medina

The Springville Hotshots were established in the spring of 2001 as part of the Most Efficient Level (MEL) build-up, as a Type II hand-crew. The crew, designated as Crew 9, is based out of Springville, CA on Hwy 190 about twenty miles east of Porterville, CA on the Sequoia National Forest. There had been a fuels crew based out of the Springville in the eighties, but was cut due to funding. Robert Sanders, the Superintendent who started the crew in 2001, continued with the crew until 2004 when he accepted a fuels officer position on the district. Crew 9 achieved type I status in the summer of 2002, and Hotshot Certification accomplished in October of 2003 when reviewed and certified by Safety First. Jack Medina, the current superintendent, detailed in the position directly after Robert, and officially accepted the position in August of 2005.

Although fire is our first priority, the crew has and continues to work all over the Tule River Ranger District on projects for all shops on the district, not just fire. We always extend our skills and abilities to assist where and when we can. The crew has always been engaged in Wildfire Use on the forest, and has actively participated in every one of these fires to date. The heart of the Springville Hotshots is our hard work, determination, and a continued commitment to the high standards that define R-5 Hotshot Crews.

Stanislaus

Year(s)	Superintendent
1974-1978	Charlie Gripp
1979-2006	Greg Overacker
2006-2007	Felix Berbina
2007-Present	Shawn Baker

Semestris Heros

In 1974 the Stanislaus Hotshot Crew was established under the direction of Charlie Gripp. The crew was based at Long Barn Elementary School through 1978. The crew moved locations in 1979 under Superintendent, Greg Overacker, to Bald Mountain Heli-tack Base and remained there until 1981. In 1982 the crew relocated to Long Barn Engine Station, until 1984. From 1985 to 1990 the crew worked out of the Mi-Wok District Warehouse. In 1991, the crew found a more suitable facility in Sonora, where we presently reside.

The crew averages 20-25 fires per season. Employment dates are usually from May 1st through November 15th. Crew assignments are primarily throughout the Western United States with extended tours away from the duty station.

When not fighting fire the crew focuses on training and development of Firefighter 2, Firefighter 1, and Single Resource Supervisors. We also spend time maintaining our skills cutting and maintaining fuel breaks throughout the district. We are also involved in Fire Use fires on the Forest.

Texas Canyon

Year(s)	Superintendent
1954-1955	Ed Kolchowski
1956-1957	Dick Dorn
1958-1960	Bob Alvord
1961-1963	Leoroy Hubenak
1964-1971	Bill Harper
1972-1974	Ray Guardado
1975-1993	Ron Smith (Retired in place)
1993-2001	John Thomas
2002-2016	John Armstrong (Retired in place)
2017-Present	Danny Breuklander

The Texas Canyon Hotshot Crew, located on the outskirts of the Santa Clarita Valley, was established in 1954. The Texas Canyon Guard Station and Hotshot Crew were named after Texas Canyon, a tributary to Bouquet Canyon located approximately two miles south of the station. In the late 1860's two brothers settled a homestead on a parcel of land in an unnamed canyon, where they ran cattle and did a little prospecting. The brothers, feeling homesick, named their canyon homestead Texas Canyon after their home state. Early maps of the area indicate that in 1926, the Texas Canyon Guard Station and three other Forest Fire Guard Stations were in service on the Saugus District of the Angeles National Forest. From about 1933 -1942 Texas Canyon hosted a Civilian Conservation Corps. Camp, which was part of the New Deal of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. In the 1950's, the U.S. Forest Service received an Army Corps of Engineers contract for a stabilization and drainage project on a road under construction to the Nike Missile base at Los Pinetos (LA County Camp 9). Dick Dorn, who was superintendent of the Texas Canyon Hotshots at the time, was charged with obtaining additional manpower. Rather than hire locals, Dorn opted to recruit Native Americans from the Zuni Indian Reservation in New Mexico. In addition to performing this project work, the Zunis served as firefighters on the Texas Canyon Hotshots. The Zuni tribal symbol of the Knife Wing Kachina, (Achi ya lada:ba), became the official symbol of the Texas Canyon Hotshots. Dick Dorn reported that one of the Zunis would sketch the symbol onto the hardhats and another would hand-paint the symbol in fine detail. Zuni Indians served as firefighters with Texas Canyon until the 1977 fire season. The crew has fought fire in just about every western state including Alaska and Region 8. In 1985 the crew was sent down to Mexico City to provide humanitarian aid on behalf of the State Department for Mexico's Earthquake Recovery and was recognized by the Embassy of The United States of America and the President of Mexico, Miguel de la Madrid. In 2009 after Eighty Three years the Texas Canyon Compound was moved with the Hotshots and the Engine. The new station is located down Bouquet Canyon about one half mile where the old Saugus District Office use to stand before the Buckweed Fire burned it down in October of 2007. The only thing left of the old station, are the concrete foundation pads where the buildings use to stand. Longtime superintendent Ron Smith started his career on the Texas Canyon Hotshots in 1957. He served as the Superintendent from 1975 until his retirement on the Marre Fire in 1993. John Thomas served as a Crewman in 1977, Foreman from 1984 to 1993 and Superintendent from 1993 to 2002. John Armstrong served as Foreman from 1990 to 2002 and served as Superintendent from 2002 to 2016.

Valyermo

Year(s)	Superintendent
2002-2008	Ron Heinig
2009-2013	Kevin Grant
2014-2017	Jeff Locke
2018	Brandon Davis, Matt Ramstead
2018-2021	Matt Ramstead
2022-Present	Simeon "half" Hagens

Valyermo IHC is stationed at the Mojave Work Center on the eastside of the Santa Clara Mojave River Ranger District. Valyermo is in the desert foothills of the Antelope Valley but is minutes away from the timbered areas of Big Pines and a short drive to the urban interface of Los Angeles. Valyermo Crew-4 was established in 2002 as part of the MEL buildup under Superintendent Ron Heinig. Valyermo performed as a Type 2 IA handcrew for 8 years gaining experience and the strong work ethic it takes to be an IHC. After the 2008 season Ron Heinig vacated the Supt. Position and Kevin Grant took over the crew. Going into the 2010 season the crew and overhead were very determined to become a Type 1 IHC and went through the certification process. After numerous hours of training, rigorous PT program and dedication by all the crew, Valyermo passed the IHC certification process and became the Valyermo Hotshots In 2010. With the certification of Valyermo Hotshots they became the fifth active IHC on the Angeles National Forest. Along with their new status the crew changed their logo to a simple V with the bull horns associated with the town of Valyermo. The reason for this was to be easily recognizable on the fire line. After the 2013 season Superintendent Kevin Grant vacated his position to become the District Fire Management officer on the Los Padres National Forest and Jeff Locke came over from Texas Canyon Hotshots to fill the Superintendent position. Valyermo IHC consists of 1-Superintendent, 2 Captains, 2 Squad Leaders, 4 Senior Firefighters/Apprentices and 11 seasonal firefighters. Valyermo IHC strives to build a good reputation with hard work while maintaining safety as a priority.

Vista Grande

Year(s)	Superintendent
1974-?	Kirby More
1994-?	Art Torrez
2005-present	Jesse Estrada

In 1974, Region 5 Fire Management added a second Hotshot crew on the San Bernardino National Forest. The location chosen was Vista Grande Guard Station on the San Jacinto Ranger District. Vista Grande is located near the small mountain community of Idyllwild, California.

The name (Spanish for Great View) originated in the 1930's when this location was a CCC camp. Vista Grande overlooks the Hemet Valley to the west and the Banning Pass to the north. The topography in the area ranges from the desert floors of Palm Springs up 10,000 feet to the San Jacinto Peak.

Kirby More, a veteran firefighter of 20 years, left his position as an engine Foreman at the Alandale Guard Station to become the first Superintendent of this crew in June of 1974. In 1994 Art Torrez became the Superintendent. In 2005 Jesse Estrada became the Superintendent, along with Tony Sandrini, Captain(s) in 2005, and Manuel Villegas in

The Vista Grande Hotshots have been instrumental in the development and implementation of the Prescribe Burn Program on the San Jacinto Ranger District. This program provides protection from wildland fire for the local mountain communities and enhances wildlife habitat.

The crew has also been involved in International Training Programs since 1985. These programs consist of hosting forestry and firefighter students from various South American countries including Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Venezuela, Argentina, and Nicaragua. It is rewarding to pass on important training and safety information about Prescribe Fire as well as Fire Suppression Tactics and Strategies in the changing world of Fire Suppression.

Rocky Mountain

Alpine

Year(s)	Superintendent
1981-1984	Jon Larson
1984-1987	John Comery
1987	Paul Borcherding
1988-1997	Jim " JP" Mattingly
1997-2006	David Niemi
2006-2007	Chris Kirby
2008-Present	Paul Cerda

The National Park Service established its Interagency Hotshot Crew program in May, 1981. The Alpine Hotshots being one of the three crews formed at that time. These crews were the first Hotshot crews to be funded by any Department of the Interior agency. The three crews were known as Arrowhead 1, 2, and 3. In 1982, the names of the crews were changed to Alpine IHC, Arrowhead IHC, and Bison IHC. These names were derived from the National Park Service emblem. In 1985 budget constraints eliminated Bison IHC from the program.

From 1981 until 1988, Alpine IHC was administered from the NPS office at the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC). The crew was assigned to several different duty stations during this time period, including Cumberland Island, Malibu (Camp 8), Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Crater Lake, and Mount Rainier National Parks only to name a few. The crew would move during the season from one location to the next sometimes to two or more locations during a season. While at Crater Lake the crew was based out of the old Rogue River Hotshot base.

From 1988 to 1991 the crew was stationed at Zion National Park, Utah, although they never lived there. Their base of operations during 1988 was Brianhead Ski area and a small motel in Parowan, UT from 1989 - 1991. The crew saw plenty of action while stationed there including being the first crew ordered for the Yellowstone fires in 1988. The crew spent a week on the Falls Fire west of the south entrance of Yellowstone prior to the "world" being mobilized. The entire crew as well as three individuals (Jim Mattingly-Supt., David Niemi-Squad Boss, Bill Moe-EMT) received national commendations for life saving actions performed on the Dude Fire in 1990.

Because Zion could not provide permanent housing for the crew a decision was made to move the crew to Wind Cave National Park, near Rapid City, South Dakota for the 1992 season. The actual base of operations while there, was an old coal gasification plant on the southeast side of Rapid City. The highlights of that season included a trip to Voyageurs NP in Minnesota and extensive time spent in the Salmon River Breaks country of Idaho.

After the '92 season and a number of bids from various parks to host the crew, a decision was made by the NPS National Office at NIFC to permanently place the Alpine crew at Rocky Mountain NP. This was based on a number of considerations, but of high significance was the park' s offer to construct new dormitory facilities for a permanent base of operations.

The crew spent its first season living and working out of the historic " Blister Rust" dorm at Rocky Mountain National Park. Interestingly enough in the past while the crew was stationed at Yellowstone NP, its base of operations was that park' s version of the " Blister Rust" dorm.

Construction was completed on the new dorm/work center facility in the spring of 1994 and the crew has called it home ever since. The majority of our fire assignments have been away from the vicinity of Rocky Mountain NP except during the summer of 2002 Colorado experienced a record fire year.

Craig

Year(s)	Superintendent
2001-2003	Stuart Gore
2004	Shawn Telford (detail), Miles Ellis (detail)
2005-2013	Shawn Telford
2014-2018	Sean Carey
2018-2019	Caleb Meyer
2019-present	Logan Blankenship

The Craig Interagency Hotshot Crew is based in Craig, CO as a part of Northwest District Fire and Aviation. The crew was founded in the spring of 2001, along with numerous other hotshot crews, because of the National Fire Plan.

Throughout most of 2001 and 2002, the crew spent most of its time suppressing fires around Colorado because of a prolonged drought. During the mid-2000's, the crew contributed their diverse expertise to fires across the western United States, as well as traveling to the southeast to assist in all-risk incidents such as Hurricane Katrina relief. In addition to national assignments, the crew often spends several weeks per season assisting the local district in handling the significant initial attack load experienced within the dispatch area.

Through most of its operational years, the crew was based in the old BLM engine station on the west end of Craig. At the start of the 2012 season, the crew was able to move into its newly constructed station across from the main Little Snake Field Office, complete with state-of-the-art training and workout facilities, bunkhouse, welding shop, three large vehicle bays, and separate saw shop.

The Craig leadership structure has been run consistently under the 1-2-2 system, with a few exceptions over the last two decades. The first Superintendent was Stuart Gore, who ran the crew until 2003. The two Foremen at the time, Shawn Telford and Miles Ellis, split the Superintendent detail in 2004, carrying the crew through the fire season. Telford formally took the position in early 2005 and remained the Superintendent through 2013. He retired in April of 2014.

Sean Carey detailed as the Superintendent during the fire season of 2014 and official accepted the job in December of 2014. Sean ran the crew for three more fire seasons before detailing to the local district as the FOS during the 2018 season. Caleb Meyer detailed behind Sean into the Superintendent position for all of the 2018 season and half of the 2019 fire season.

Logan Blankenship has been the current Superintendent of Craig IHC since June of 2019.

Pike

Year(s)	Superintendent
1962-1973	Glenn Scott
1974-1977	Chris Brandy
1978	Bruce Haflich
1979	Bill Frede
1980-1981	Chris Brandy
1982	Brett Acres
1983-1984	Dan Robinson
1985	Gasper Blea
1986-1991	Tim Foley
1992	Paul Gleason, Matt Valdez
1993-1997	Tim Foley
1998-2005	Shane Greer
2006	Shane Greer, Alissa Roeder
2007-2011	Alissa Roeder
2012-2013	Kevin Neiman
2014-2018	Tom Allbright
2019-Present	David Smallman

The Pike Interagency Hotshot Crew began in 1962 as the Roosevelt Inter-Regional Fire Suppression Crew (IR Crew). Affectionately known as "Scotty's Raider's" for first Superintendent Glenn Scott, they traveled to 5 fires for a total of 27 days on assignment.

1971 - the crew was moved to the Pike National Forest Supervisor's Office, and was renamed the Pike IR Crew.

1973 - the crew again moved, this time to the Pikes Peak Ranger District and was stationed in Woodland Park, CO.

1979 - the Monument Nursery (now the Monument Fire Center- MFC) became the duty station for the Pike IR Crew. The Pike IHC is based at MFC to this day.

1980 - brought a name change, to the Pike Interagency Hotshot Crew in order to comply with the national name transition.

Today, it is not uncommon for the crew to spend over 100 days on assignment every season, traveling nationwide. The Pike Interagency Hotshot crew has a long and successful history that we are proud of. To honor those who have gone before us, every year we strive to earn again the respect that was built for us through time. Our mission is to provide a safe, professional, organized, highly motivated, highly skilled, and cost effective resource for wildland fire, natural resource management, and all-risk incidents. We take pride in what we do.

Scotty's Raider's, circa 1960's

Roosevelt

Year(s)	Superintendent
2001-2002	Kelly Jones (Mellot)
2003	Todd Millen
2003-2006	Dave Hamrick
2007-Present	Larry Money

The Roosevelt Interagency Hotshot Crew is based in Fort Collins, Colorado on the Canyon Lakes Ranger District of the Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forest. The Crew was established in 2001 as part of what seemed at the time to be an exceedingly vast expansion of the IHC program following the high-profile 2000 fire season.

Lacking facilities, crew carriers and many of the other standard Hotshot accoutrements, the crew spent its first season based out of the Poudre Fire Authority's training warehouse and drove to incidents in a small convoy of pickups and SUV's.

The crew spent 2001 as a training crew and in 2002 was certified as an Interagency Hotshot Crew.

Also in 2002, crew carriers were acquired and the crew moved into its current home at the Forest Service Administrative site in north Fort Collins. The facility, with offices, barracks, weight room, cache, engine bays and a training room also houses the Canyon Lakes Ranger District's fire and fuels personnel which helps emphasize the crew's affiliation with its home district.

While the crew spends much of the summer away on assignment, when at home the Hotshots help meet the district's needs by doing a variety of project work and assisting with prescribed fire.

San Juan

Year(s)	Superintendent
2002-2007	Shawna Legarza
2008-2010	Jim Cornelius
2011-2017	Jay Godson
2018-present	Tom Allbright

The planning for a new IHC crew in southern Colorado began late in 1997. At the time the Rio Grande and San Juan National Forests were being considered as likely locations. The decision was made to base the crew in Durango and name the crew after the host forest.

The crew was first organized in May 2002 to begin training at the Engineer Guard Station located near Durango Mountain Resort. The first six weeks the crew trained while the Missionary Ridge fire was burning within view. The Engineer Guard Station was home to the crew during the 2002 and 2003 seasons. The move to the old Ft. Lewis college campus south of Hesperus occurred in the spring of 2004, and the crew remained there until 2007. The final move from Hesperus to the Public Lands Center/ San Juan NF Supervisors Office occurred late fall of 2007. This is where the crew is currently located.

Transportation for the crew the first two seasons was Ford Excursions which were hand-me-downs from Roosevelt IHC. New International crew carriers arrived for the 2004 season and are expected to be replaced before the 2014 season. Additionally, the crew travels with a Superintendents truck, a chase vehicle, and an ATV/UTV.

San Juan IHC is organized using the 1-1-3 system for Hotshot crews. This means 1 Superintendent, 1 Assistant Superintendent, and 3 squad bosses. Additionally, four positions are slotted for permanent seasonal senior firefighters. The remainder of the crew is composed of seasonal employees.

Project work for the crew has varied throughout the years. We have taken on the normal fuels reduction work as well as unique assignments working for the engineering programs rebuilding/ removing bridges, mine reclamation, range projects that have included fence building/removal, and weed inventory.

Tatanka

Year(s)	Superintendent
1999-2001	Geoff Bell
2001-2008	Pat Laeng
2008-2017	Brandon Hess
2017- present	David Zortman

The Tatanka Hotshot Crew was formed in 1999 on the Black Hills National Forest in Custer, SD. Tatanka Hotshots were the 4th Interagency Hotshot Crew in R-2. After working the 1999 fire season as a Type 2 IA training crew, Type 1 certification was gained in the spring of 2000. The crew was originally housed in a trustee unit on the grounds of an old Tuberculosis sanitarium that was converted into a juvenile offender facility. The crew moved into its current facilities in April of 2002.

Wyoming

Year(s)	Superintendent
1967-1969	Sig Palm
1970-1972	Jim Shell
1973	Carl "Tut" Anderson
1974	Dennis Eckardt
1975	Terry Wood
1976	Tom Able
1977-1979	Steve Nichols
1980-1983	Jeff Johnson
1984-1996	Mark Rogers
1997	Chris Church (detail)
1998-2000	Kevin Pfister
2001-2004	Jay Kurth
2005-2007	Scott Schuster
2008-Present	Matthew Prentiss

In 1967, Region 2 of the Forest Service was allocated a second Inter-Regional (IR) Crew. The region conducted an inventory of work projects and identified potential work stations within an hour of a major airport that could host the new crew. The end result was the selection of the Bighorn National Forest's Paintrock Ranger District in Greybull, WY as the home of the Bighorn IR Crew. Some 40 years later, the crew still resides in the same buildings and remains the only hotshot crew in Wyoming.

During the late sixties, the standard size of an Inter-Regional Crew was 32 members with a Crew Foreman, four Squad Leaders and seven or eight firefighters on each squad. By 1970, the crew size was down to 27 members in order to reduce the number of people that had to remain behind, as most travel was done by DC-3 or C-46 which had a maximum capacity of 24. The current crew size of 20 was established in 1975.

Hair length could not exceed two inches and facial hair was prohibited in the late sixties and early seventies. Sleeping quarters were fashioned out of the carpenter shop which consisted of a garage with a large metal building attached. Inside were excess metal military bunks, metal military lockers that acted as screens between some of the bunks and limited bathroom facilities.

The early 1980's brought significant change as the first woman joined the crew in 1981 and in 1982 the Bighorn IR crew became the Wyoming Hotshots. During the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, the Wyoming Hotshots were one of several hotshot crews on detail to Southern California. Olympic and city officials requested additional crews in an effort to prevent large wildfires that could worsen air quality.

A primitive kitchen and one unisex bathroom were tolerated throughout the 1970's and 1980's. Handcrafted "rooms" multiplied until in 1996 a major remodel brought individual rooms and separate men's and women's bathrooms. Then and now, the barracks sits right next to the railroad switching yard which provides nightly enjoyment. The locomotives rev up their engines and build up speed and then stop to release some of the cars. The stopping of the locomotive creates a chain of bangs as each car smashed into the next one.

The only fire shelter deployment in crew history occurred in June of 1988 on the Brewer Fire, Custer National Forest, Montana. Severe drought, record low fuel moistures, erratic and strong winds, extreme temperatures and very low humidities led to extreme fire behavior conditions. The fire went from a surface fire to a running crown fire while the crew was flanking the fire my building fireline. The crew ultimately deployed shelters in a nearby meadow and four firefighters ultimately sustained burn injuries.

The 1990's experienced the major barracks remodel, a wealth of time on assignment in Craig, Colorado and the second half of Mark Rogers' tenure as Superintendent. Rogers was by far the longest serving Superintendent in crew history at 13 years.

The modern era is marked by a gradual increase in permanent staff in order to keep pace with national standards, longer fire seasons and an increased involvement in all-risk assignments. Like all other crews, the Wyoming Hotshots have experienced busier and busier fire seasons. The number of days on assignment has more than tripled from the 25 to30 days spent on fires in 1967 and 1968. Other memorable recent events include the only trip to Alaska in crew history (2004) and back to back hurricane relief assignments in 2005 and 2006.

Southern Area

Asheville

Year(s)	Superintendent
1989-2002	Dick Kastler
2003-Present	Steve Little

The Asheville Interagency Hotshot Crew (IHC) is one of three IHC programs in the nation to offer a concentrated training curriculum and the combined field experience of a full fire season. The program is designed to help develop future fireline supervisors and fire managers. Asheville selects 17 candidates with career status as detailers to the program for one season. The designated classroom training provides individuals with basic requirements towards the single resource Crew Boss qualifications. On fire assignments through out the detail, each candidate is provided the opportunity to perform in fire leadership positions.

From initiation in 1989 to 2001, Asheville IHC was typically the only Type I IHC available during the Southern Region spring fire season. In 2001, two additional Forest Service IHC programs were initiated in the Southern Area. With the limited numbers of such resources during this period, the Asheville crew is continually requested for wildfire and prescribed fire assignments. These assignments ensure practical experience and knowledge gained from performing on the fireline.

The National Forests in North Carolina are the host administrative unit for the Asheville IHC. The hotshot's base of operation was first located in Hendersonville, NC at the Kanuga Camp and Conference Center, from 1989 to 1995. The program moved to the YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly in Black Mountain, NC in 1996 and continues to use this facility. Both locations have provided excellent training, barracks and dining facilities conducive to the intense classroom and physical training schedule maintained by the crew.

The Asheville Hotshot crew has provided its leadership training opportunity for seventeen years. A total of 322 individuals have successfully completed the Asheville IHC program. The majority of these people continue to serve in fire supervision positions across the country. Many are working as fire program managers at the forest level and higher.

Initially the only fulltime position with the program was the Superintendent. From 1989 to 1995, two Foreman positions were filled with detailers each season. In 1996, an Assistant Superintendent, 13/13 permanent seasonal position was added to help with increasing operational needs and responsibilities. The Assistant Superintendent position became permanent fulltime in November of 1999. In September of 2003, a permanent fulltime Forman position was added to complete the programs supervision organization.

Augusta

Year(s)	Superintendent
?	Oscar Montijo

In June of 2001, the Augusta Hotshots were established on the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. The crew is stationed at Augusta Springs, Virginia, located on the Deerfield Ranger District. Augusta was one of two new Forest Service Hotshot Crews to be established in the east under the National Fire Plan completed in 2000. The crew's season is structured around the eastern fire season. They, also, assist in prescribed burning, and are available for support of the western fire season, and other emergencies. Augusta received their type one status the summer of 2002. The crew has been involved with numerous wildfires and prescribed fires in 11 states, and in every fuel type. In addition, the crew spent two weeks in support of FEMA in New York City during the World Trade Center Disaster and in Williamsburg, VA, to assist with cleanup after Hurricane Isabel.

The Augusta Hotshot's season is structured around the Eastern fire season; therefore, they work a different schedule than most other crews. Currently the crew begins work the last week of January, and works till the end of May. The crew then takes June and July off and starts back up the first of August. The second half of the season then ends around the first of December. Basically the crew works four months and is off for two, on for four and off for two. The crew is equipped with fire six-pack trucks, which allows them to break into small modules for support of eastern fuel types.

The crew's base, located in Augusta Springs, is adjacent to a Forest Youth Camp. Construction of crew facilities has been under way at the same location since the spring of 2002. Currently there are two modern barracks with all amenities, housing six persons each. Completion of the crew headquarters is planned for spring of 2004.The base sets below Great North Mountain, which is part of The Allegheny Mountains that stretch from Virginia into West Virginia. Just east of the base lies Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. Most of the area is covered in a mixture hardwood forests and farmland. The area is equally beautiful as it is historic.

In summary the Augusta Hotshots have a very unique program, and work in a very unique area! The crew is always looking for new members, and new opportunities to serve the citizens of these United States.

Cherokee

2001-2014	2015-Present

Year(s)	Superintendent
2001-2003	Tim Wharton
2004-Present	Dennis Trentham

In June 2001, in accordance with the National Fire Plan, the Cherokee Hotshots came to be. The crew is based in Unicoi, TN since the beginning. The crew was named after the host National Forest (Cherokee). The crew logo as seen above has been with the crew since 2001 until 2015. It outlines the Volunteer State of Tennessee (in gold) and the host National Forest (Cherokee) in green with the gold star indicating the location of the crew on the north end of the Cherokee National Forest. There has never been a crew name change or change in the IHC base location. Tim Wharton was hired as the first Superintendent. To date (2009) there is one individual that has been a member of the crew from day one.

The crew was considered to be in a trainee status for the first five fire seasons. In July 2006 the crew was able to obtain national certification as an Interagency Hotshot Crew.

The program has a new administrative site that was completed in 2007 and has had crew quarters for 18 personnel since 2002.

There have been 2 logos used by the crew since the crew's inception in 2001. The current logo being used by our organization is what you see at the bottom of the page. It was adopted by the crew in 2015. Dillon McInnis drew the design for the logo a couple years prior to 2015 while on a detail with the crew.

The crew maintains the original staffing of 22 members with 18 of these being career/seasonal appointments to meet continuous staffing requirements for working a split season.

Jackson

Year(s)	Superintendent
1997-1998	Jerry Soard
1999-2013	Lamar Liddell
2014	Fred Ashford (detail)
2015	Greg Smith
2016-2018	Fred Ashford
2018-Present	Darren O'Loughlin

During the summer of 1996, the Secretary of the Interior, Bruce Babbitt visited several wildland fires in the western U.S. During these visits, the Secretary noted that there was a low percentage of minorities represented on the overhead teams and fire crews involved in suppression efforts. To increase opportunities, the city of Jackson, MS was selected as a site for a Hotshot crew. Jackson was selected as the site to base a new crew because of its proximity to Historically Black Colleges and Universities from which to recruit individuals who may be interested in pursuing a career in fire management.

In early 1997 the Bureau of Land Management announced the establishment of a new Type I "Hotshot" wildland fire fighting crew in Jackson, Mississippi. While fire suppression was the primary function for the Hotshot crew, it was also envisioned that its members would be able to gain experience in prescribed fire in the southern states and bring that expertise to western projects. The formation of the Jackson IHC was supported by the Historically Black Colleges and Universities as well as the International Association of Black Professional Firefighters Foundation (IABPFF). In addition to increasing opportunities for African Americans, the program is also committed to providing opportunities for other population that are underrepresented within the fire community.

The Jackson Hotshots are the only BLM crew based east of the Mississippi River and their main goal is to protect life, property and resources threatened by wildland fires. In addition to wildland fires, the crew often supports prescribed fires and All-Risk assignments. The crew consistent of a career staff of one Superintendent, one Assistant Superintendent, three Squad Leaders, three Lead Firefighters, and two Senior Firefighters specifically held for Veterans. The remainder of the crew consistent of temporary employees from GS-3 to GS-6. Outside of the scheduled fire season which runs from March through September, the career staff supports inter-agency partners in implanting prescribed fires and other land management projects.

Southwest

Aravaipa

Crew Logo 2016-2019

Current Crew Logo

Year(s)	Superintendent
2016-Present	Greg Smith

Formation of The Crew

In 2015 the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) contacted the Arizona State office for the Bureau of Land Management about hosting Mississippi's Jackson Hotshots early in the fire season. The State office reached out to the Gila District in Southeastern Arizona to see if they could provide a housing solution. The district reached out to the Chief of the Fort Huachuca Fire Department about possible housing options on the Army base outside of Sierra Vista, Arizona. After discussions with the Base Commander, the crew was allowed to use some available dormitories and completed a multi-week tour of southern Arizona.

This arrangement with The Jackson Hotshots in the spring of 2015 helped spawn the idea of the BLM having its own Hotshot Crew in SE Arizona. NIFC would soon approve the funding for a permanent crew on the Gila District. More discussions were needed with the Fort Huachuca Base Commander about permanent facilities. It was decided the crew would operate out of an unused motor pool facility and crewmembers would have access to dormitory housing nearby. Extensive remodeling began on the motor pool facility to prepare for the future fire crew. The goal was set to have the crew functional by 2016 and obtain Hotshot status within 3 years.

With the BLM having a history of veterans based fire crews and with the already established connection to Fort Huachuca, the decision was made to have the crew be a veteran focused crew. This would mean that the crew would be comprised of at least 60% veterans. The crew being housed on an active Army base would serve as a great recruiting tool for veterans seeking employment opportunities following their military service.

With facilities and funding established it was time to start working on personnel. The Gila District quickly agreed to offer the job to Greg Smith (A US Navy Veteran) who was the current Superintendent of The Jackson Hotshots and had a long history of working in Region 3. Greg accepted the job and brought with him his two assistants from Jackson, Wade Irish and Ryan Hagenah.

With the foundation for the new crew in place, Greg began making hires and had the crew ready to go for the 2016 fire season. The crew operated as Type 2 IA Crew through 2019, while slowly going through the process of obtaining Type 1 Hotshot status. During the 2019 season the crew completed the final steps of the process including an imbedded review, and facilities inspections. In September of 2019 The Arizona BLM proudly introduced the The Aravaipa Hotshots to the fire community.

The Name

After some deliberation, the name of Aravaipa was chosen for the crew. The Aravaipa Canyon Wilderness is a pristine area of land in southeastern Arizona managed by the BLM. Surely the most stunning feature of the wilderness is the Aravaipa Canyon with stretches for 11 miles with sheer canyon walls of 1000 feet. The canyon has a perennial stream which is one of the lushest in southern Arizona. The canyon is an amazingly rich ecosystem and includes six native species of desert fish, desert bighorn sheep, and over 238 species of birds. The canyon is the northern most range of some migratory parrots and other tropical birds.

The Aravaipa watershed has a rich cultural history. It was occupied by hunter gatherers starting about 9,500 years ago during the Archaic Period. It was later occupied by the Mogollon, Hohokam, and Saladoan peoples. Around the year 1350 they abandoned the canyon, and it was later inhabited by the Western Apache tribe also known as the Aravaipa Apache. The origins of this name are not entirely clear, but it is believed to be the name for the Western Apaches in a Mexican Indian Language.

The Fort

Fort Huachuca is named after the Huachuca Mountains west of Sierra Vista, Arizona. Huachuca comes from the Apache word meaning "thunder mountain" Fort Huachuca today is home to 6,500 active duty soldiers, 7,400 family, and 5,000 civilian employees, making it one of the busiest active posts in the country.

The fort provides the crew with excellent facilities. On a day to day basis the crew operates out of the old motor pool that has been renovated to meet the crew's needs. The shop has three bays for the Supt truck and buggies, lockers for crewmembers, showers, laundry machines, a kitchen, three offices for the overhead, and a training room for classes and meetings. Crew members have access to barracks a few blocks away from the shop that provide individual rooms, a kitchen, and bathrooms with showers and laundry.

The crew is also fortunate to have access to many amenities provided on base. The base provides a full gym, swimming pools, multiple tracks, calisthenics fields, and obstacle courses. The fort also buttes up against the Huachuca Mountains which provide ample running and hiking trails.

Superintendents

Greg started his career with the Flagstaff Hotshots in 1993. Two years later moved to the Globe Hotshots eventually becoming their superintendent in 2001. For the 2008 season Greg moved to the Tucson area to help convert Northwest Fire District's Type Two I.A. crew into a Type One Hotshot Crew. The crew achieved hotshot status in 2009, but was disbanded in 2014 due to funding issues. Greg moved on to become the Superintendent of the Jackson Hotshots in 2015.

Black Mesa

Year(s)	Superintendent
1970-1973	Dick Huard
1973-1975	Pete Stewart
1975-1976	Dennis Landrith
1976-1978	Mark Whitney
1978-1985	Jerry Beddow
1986	Jim EtsHokin
1987-2000	Chris Douros
2000-2001	Jim Aylor
2002-2003	Chris Wilcox
2003-2005	Nathaniel Nozie
2005-2008	Gary Strickland
2009-Present	Frank "Pancho" Auza

In the late 1960's and early 1970's, the Heber Emergency Crew was a 27-person crew located in Heber, Arizona on the Sitgreaves National Forest. Active in both fire suppression and project work, this crew was the forerunner of the Heber Hotshots. The HEC was stationed at the Heber Ranger Station and was divided into three squads. Two squads worked each day while one squad was off, providing 7-day-a-week coverage during the summer. Daily life was fairly primitive. The crew lived in one room 16'x 16' shacks with no running water and only one light bulb. Transportation was a covered 1½ ton truck with plywood tool boxes in the bed that doubled as seats for the crewmembers.

In 1972, the crew attained hotshot status and changed its name to the Sitgreaves Hotshots. Two years later, the crew was renamed the Heber Hotshots. The mid 70's brought several changes. A new duty station was assigned and the crew moved to the Job Corps compound west of Heber. Two cooks and a cook trailer provided meals to hotshots who wanted them, with the expense taken directly from their check. A bus replaced the old 1½ ton truck. However, both these changes were short lived. In 1977, the crew returned to Heber (now Black Mesa) Ranger Station, where the crew is still stationed today. Also that year, the bus was replaced by vans and the Hopi Sun God was adopted as the crew's logo. In 1979, the crew was paired down from three squads to two and the current structure, with a superintendent, foreman, and two squad bosses was adopted.

The 1980's saw an increase in the pay of both the overhead and crewmembers. Equipment and training improved and some of the outdated gear was replaced. The vans were replaced with crew carriers in 1985 and the army surplus packs the crew was using were discarded in favor of early fire packs. Memorable 30+ day assignments to California during the "Siege of 87" stand out as milestones for the Heber Hotshots of the late 1980's.

In the 1990's, the crew followed the national trend by building a better career ladder into its structure in an effort to retain key personnel. The position of saw boss was added, as well as permanent/part time appointments for the foreman and the squad bosses. In 1990, the Dude fire struck close to home as the fire, originally on the neighboring Tonto National Forest, raced up the Mogollon Rim and onto the western part of the Apache- Sitgreaves. An assignment in Nevada's giant sage in 1999 resulted in Heber's only burn related injuries. Four members of the Heber IHC received 1st and 2nd degree burns to the hands and face as they were retreating to a safety zone. The crewmembers, who had forgotten to wear their gloves and shrouds, received burns from holding on to tools and saws as they walked by the torching sage.

In 2002, the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, along with the Fort Apache Indian Reservation, played host to the Rodeo-Chediski fire. The largest wildfire in Arizona history, it burned nearly 500,000 acres in 15 days and threatened tens of thousands of homes in the White Mountains of northeastern Arizona. Far from "just another fire" for the Heber IHC, the crew faced the difficult and challenging task of defending one another's own homes and communities. Amid evacuations of personal belongings and concerned phone calls to friends and family, the crew helped with the suppression efforts south of Show Low, AZ and participated in the burnout that successfully contained the fire's high-priority eastern flank. The Heber Hotshots changed their name to Black Mesa Hotshots in 2007.

Blue Ridge

Year(s)	Superintendent
1973-1976	James Colley
1977-1978	Ed Hollenshead
1978-1982	Robert Smith
1983-1987	William Krushak
1988-1992	Darryl Atchinson
1993-1999	Russ Copp
2000-2003	Rick Miller
2003-2007	Ryan Peacock
2008-2010	Asad Rahman
2011	Cory Robinson
2012-2018	Brian Frisby
2019-2020	Mark Adams
2020-Present	Travis Fuller

The Blue Ridge Hotshot Crew was established in 1973, on the Blue Ridge Ranger District, Coconino National Forest. The crew was transported to fire and projects in a small GSA school bus. A Motorola pack set radio was the sole source of communication for the crew. Tools consisted of shovels, Pulaski's, McLeod's, military web gear and canteens, and a 38-pound Homelite Super Wiz chain saw. The crew was required to live on station in canvas 2x4 framed tents. Three meals a day were prepared and served by the crews cook. All crewmembers were recruited from Northern Arizona University.

In 1974 the crew replaced the canvas tents for three mobile homes, in 1976 rock climbing and rappelling was introduced to the crew and in 1977 the rock-climbing program was sanctioned by the Forest Fire Management Officer Bill Buck. A new crew logo was designed by the crew depicting a firefighter rappelling to a fire. Fire resistant pants made of Nomex were issued to crewmembers and fire shelters became mandatory equipment to be worn on all fires. Filson vest were introduced to carry extra equipment. In 1980, Rock climbing with search and rescue techniques became highly developed on the crew. In 1982 high quality General Electric walkie- talkie radios replaced the Repco radios. North Face packs were introduced to replace the Filson vest, which had become overloaded with needed gear. Construction was started on the new Hotshot crew quarters. The crew moved into the new modern barracks which are so nice the crew nicknamed the quarters "Condos".

In 1985 the King programmable radio brought hotshot communication to a new high. In 1986 the crew begins to see more action than ever before. Days on fire assignments were getting longer and the demand for Type 1 Hotshot crews became greater. That same year the crew assisted in the production of the training film "Wildfire Hand tools". The issue of full time employment for Hotshot Superintendents was addressed at the Hotshot workshop held in Alamogordo, New Mexico. A new WCF 20 passenger, turbo diesel bus, with air conditioning and reclining seats, became the form of transportation. In 1987 Rose Harley and Valerie Hernandez were hired as the first women on the crew. In 1988 the crew spent 25 days in Alaska and the Blue Ridge Hotshot logo was changed from interregional to interagency. IHC was added to all hotshot titles. In 1998 the Logo was changed to a bull elk silhouetted with a rising sun.

Current configuration is one Superintendent, one Foreman, three Squad Leaders, three Lead Crewmembers and 13 seasonal employees.

Carson

Year(s)	Superintendent
1973-1979	JJ Dominguez
1980-1983	Adolfo Lopez
1984-1995	Chester Romero
1996-1997	Ron Bollier
1998-2001	Stu Gore
2002-2012	Paul Delmerico
2013-2015	Rich Sack
2016-Present	Tim Memmer

The Carson National Forest began researching and planning for a Hotshot Crew in 1970. In 1972 the National Fire Plan was introduced and the Carson National Forest did not receive the required funding they had hoped for to start an IHC. The Forest Fire Management Officer petitioned the Regional Office stating that Northern New Mexico needed a crew not only for fire suppression but to help stimulate a very weak economy. The Regional Office denied the request to start an IHC on the Carson. The FMO then submitted a funding request to Washington Office where approval was received. The Carson Interagency Hotshot Crew was established in March of 1973 to stimulate the economy of Taos and the surrounding communities.

The Carson Hotshots were originally based in El Rito, NM. Lack of support from the District Ranger, in addition to the rural setting of El Rito caused the crew's location to change shortly after its inception. The Crew was moved to Penasco, NM where the crew resided for over 20 years. In 1995, the Carson Hotshots were relocated to the Supervisor's Office in Taos NM, where the crew presently operates.

In 1973, The Crew's organization consisted of one permanent Hotshot Foreman position and two temporary Squad Boss positions, with the remaining personnel being temporary crewmembers.

In 1992, the Foreman position was reclassified to Superintendent and a permanent seasonal Assistant Superintendent position was established. In 1998, two permanent seasonal Squad Boss positions were added.

Currently, the crew has nine appointed positions: Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, three Squad Leaders and four Senior Firefighters.

Flagstaff

Year(s)	Superintendent
1972	Bill Bishop
1973-1975	Van Bateman
1976-1978	Ron "Biggy" Linbarger
1979-1985	Mark Zumwalt
1986-1990	Walker Thornton
1990-2005	Paul Musser
2005-Present	Bill Kuche

In 1971, only one hotshot crew existed in Region 3, and they were stationed on the Gila National Forest. In 1972, Region 3 funded two more crews, one on the Apache Sitgreaves National Forest and the other on the Coconino National forest. The Flagstaff Hotshots became that first crew on the Coconino, established on March 20, 1972 as the Coconino Hotshots and stationed at the Flagstaff Ranger District. The following year, in 1973, the crew name became the Flagstaff Hotshots.

Half of the original Coconino Hotshots were made up of a 10 person Hopi suppression crew and the others from surrounding areas. Bill Bishop became the first superintendent, with five years of prior firefighting experience. Bishop drew from the experiences of California hotshot crews and the Gila crew to organize and run the first hotshot crew on the Coconino.

The Coconino Hotshots were based at a ranch the Forest Service had recently acquired at the base of the San Francisco Peaks. First known as the "Ski & Spur Ranch" by the previous owners, after the land exchange it became the "hotshot ranch." Today the Flagstaff Hotshots are still based at the ranch during the summer, and move to the Peaks Ranger Station located on the eastern side of Flagstaff during the off-season.

Originally, only the superintendent had a radio, the crew used two Homelite chainsaws---one with a bow bar and a straight 24 inch bar---and personal protective equipment consisted of a pair of levi jeans, long sleeve fire shirt, metal hardhat and goggles supplied by the government; firefighters supplied their own gloves and boots.

The Flagstaff Hotshots have had three different logos. The first was a Hopi insignia used in 1972. In 1973, the wife of one of the crewmembers designed the second logo, which is back in use today after a hiatus during which a third design (created by a former superintendent) was used.

Fort Apache

Year(s)	Superintendent
1982-1983	Gibson Pinal
1984-1985	Varnell Gatewood
1985-1992	Ralph Thomas
1992-2001	Rick Lupe
2002-2003	Marco Minjarez (Detailed)
2003-2006	Dan Philbin
2006-2011	Trenton Prins
2012-?	Brian Quintero (Detailed)

The Ft. Apache Hotshot Crew's home base is in Whiteriver, AZ. The majority of crew personnel are members of the White Mountain Apache Tribe. The size of the reservation is 1.6 million acres with elevation with lower at 3,000 ft. and upper elevation of 11,000 ft. on Mt. Baldy, the White Mountain Apache Tribes Sacred Mountain. There are 15 communities throughout the reservation with approximately 15,000 enrolled Tribal members presently.

The Ft. Apache Agency Bureau of Indian Affairs established its Interagency Hotshot Crew program in March of 1982. The Ft. Apache Hotshot crew was the first all Native American Hotshot crew to be funded nationally in the country. At the time Ft. Apache Agency had 10 Type II Hand-crews, a fully staffed Engine and Helitack Department(s). The Hotshot Crew was established based on recommendations from IMT's throughout the nation due to outstanding performance displayed on the fire line by the Type II Hand-Crews.

From 1982 until 1983, Ft. Apache IHC first Superintendent was Gibson Pinal. From 1983 to 1985 Varnell Gatewood led the crew through trainee status to a certified Hotshot crew as the Superintendent. From 1985 to 1993 the crew Superintendent was Ralph Thomas. Through the leadership and guidance of Ralph Thomas the crew gained valuable positive reputation as one of the toughest and highly skilled Type I Hand-crew. Throughout the years the crew saw plenty of action throughout the country. The most memorable being the summer of 1988 during the Yellowstone fire, the crew did three 30 day assignments, all in the park. In 2002 they were given recognition for their outstanding efforts that stopped the Rodeo-Chediski fire from jumping its containment lines that would have done great damage to the communities of Show Low and Pinetop, AZ. They were co-grand Marshall's along with Rick Lupe at the Annual White Apache Tribal parade. They recently celebrated their 25th anniversary as a hotshot crew.

From 1992 to 2002 the crew Superintendent was the late Rick Lupe. Through his leadership the crew continued the tradition of being a highly skilled and physically tough Type I crew. Mr. Lupe's career began in 1978 with the Type II Hand-crew. He was one of the Squad Bosses when the crew was formed. Unfortunately he was fatally injured in a prescribe burn incident in 2003, a year after he transferred to Fuels Management Dept. This tragic event is a constant reminder to our organization that accidents do occur, even to the most experienced firefighters.

Geronimo

Year(s)	Superintendent
1987	Eugene Irving
1988	Tyrone Polk
1989	Benedict Victor Sr.
1990-1992	Curley Bush Jr.
1993-1995	Loren Macktima
1996-1999	Mike Longknife
2000	Randy Anderson
2001-2002	Duane Chapman
2003-2007	Carlos Nosie Jr.
2008	Leroy Brown
2009	Julius Hostetler
2010-2012	David Provencio, Jr.
2013-Present	Julius Hostetler

The Geronimo Interagency Hotshot Crew (IHC) is hosted by the San Carlos Apache Tribal Natural Resources Program. The San Carlos Apache Reservation is located in Southeastern Arizona. Geronimo IHC began to be established as a regular Type 2 Initial Attack Crew in 1987, known as the San Carlos #10. The crew was originally formed from Engine, Helitack, and Type 2 SWFF crew personnel. The late Walt Six Killer was the Fire Management Officer (FMO) at the time, and wanted to see a hotshot crew established in San Carlos, AZ. The crew worked to become an IHC crew by accepting challenging, high complexity fire assignments, which were equal to hotshot crew capabilities. And also the crew maintained a consistent number of fire assignments throughout the years.

In 1990, the crew was asked to come up with a crew name and T-shirt color by the FMO, Wilbur Belvado, and a former Globe Hotshot Superintendent. The name "Geronimo 1" was chosen. The crew decided to pick black as the color of the T-shirts, as the crew uniform.

A landmark had to be chosen to represent the hotshot crew name, so a small town located on the east boundary line on highway 70, was named the town of Geronimo. The name originated after the Chiricahua Apache warrior/medicine man, "Geronimo" also known as "Goyathlay" to his people. He roamed the Southwest following the season of prosperity, hunting, farming, and of course warfare.

Mr. Belvado encouraged and continued to pursue for the crew to receive an IHC status. In 1991, the crew received its Interagency Hotshot Crew status as the Geronimo Interagency Hotshot Crew, hosted by the BIA San Carlos Agency. From 1991-1995 the crew was unfamiliar with Hotshot responsibilities, and had difficulties functioning appropriately. At the end of the 1995 fire season, with uncertainty in budget, the San Carlos Apache Tribe was approached by the BIA to assume control of the Hotshot Program.

In 1996, the San Carlos Apache Tribal Natural Resources Program began administering the crew under a PL93-638 contract. Michael Longknife assumed the Superintendent position and hired new crewmembers and squad bosses. Longknife, who had previously worked for the Globe and Helena Hotshots, helped advance the crew to its peak capabilities, like an IHC should perform. It was about this time that the crew logo was designed by the Tribal Forestry GIS Shop, with the input from the crew.

For many years, the crew was funded using various available dollars from Forest Management funding sources. Eventually, the National Office determined that since the crew was a national resource, it should be funded using national funds.

Members of the Geronimo Hotshots pride themselves on being in top physical and mental shape. In Native American culture, it is stressed that one should be healthy spiritually, physically, socially, and mentally. Crew leaders stress the importance of keeping pride, integrity, and bravery, within the crew. To maintain an alcohol/drug free policy, by providing random drug/alcohol testing throughout the fire season. This is to maintain a safe environment for the crew, and to show that the organization is a professional, respectful crew. The ultimate objective of the crew is safety for themselves and fellow crewmembers, and adjoining resources they are working with.

The primary mission of the Interagency Hotshot Crews (IHC) is to provide a safe, organized, mobile and highly skilled hand crew for all phases of wildland fire suppression. The arduous duties and specialized assignments required of IHC personnel require staffing, certification, training, equipment, communications, transportation, organization, and qualifications that are uniform, and adhered to by all IHC's. And ensure retention of IHC duties and responsibilities found and followed in the National Interagency Hotshot Crew Operations Guide.

Gila

Year(s)	Superintendent
1968-1973	Various Foreman
1974-1975	Tom Reed
1975-1978	Ricky Delgado
1979-1980	Gary Lukas
1983-1990	Jerome MacDonald
1991-1995	Robert Morales
1995-1999	Doug Kastner
1999-2016	Dewey Rebbe
2016-Present	Jeff Campbell

The Gila Hotshots lay claim to being the first hotshot crew in region 3. It is known that the crew was originally established in 1968 as an Inter-Regional (IR) Crew. The Gila Inter-Regional Crew was a seasonal crew based at Negrito Fire Base. The base is located on the Reserve Ranger District approximately 40 miles southeast of the town of Reserve, New Mexico.

Inter-Regional crews were created with a similar mission to today's Interagency Hotshot crews (IHC). The idea was to give the Forest Service a pool of crews who could perform the "tough" assignments on large fires. During this same time period in California, Hotshot crews were beginning to make their names known in the world of fire. In the early 1970's a movement was made throughout most of the Forest Service to standardize the IR and Hotshot crews. Other agencies began to support Hotshot Crews and the crews became national resources required to meet a set of nationwide standards, to reflect this the term Interagency Hotshot Crew (IHC) was brought about. It was because of this event that the name was changed for the first time. In 1974, the Gila Inter-Regional crew became known as the Gila IHC.

The Negrito Fire Base has been home to the Gila Hotshots since the beginning and is a special place to everyone who has worked here. What makes Negrito special is the remoteness of its location. The base is about an hour's drive from Reserve and is located approximately 6 miles from the northern edge of the Gila Wilderness as the crow flies.

With the conversion of the crew into an IHC came more structure. Until then, the crew did not have a set roster of crewmembers or overhead. Firefighters were hired and stationed at Negrito without being attached to any particular program. They served as smokechasers, helitack or member of the IR crew, as needed.

As the 1970's drew to a close, another change came to the Hotshot program. 1977 brought another IHC program to the Forest, the Silver City IHC in Silver City, NM. Not wanting a semblance of favoritism, no crew would carry the forest name. So, in 1978 the name of the crew was changed from Gila to Negrito. The Negrito name was carried for over twenty years before the tentacles of political correctness firmly gripped the crew. The beloved "Negrito" name was changed, and the original "Gila" name was chosen in 1999.

Globe

Year(s)	Superintendent
1973	Bill Scarborough
1974	Jeff Luff
1975	Dean Ziehl (Asst. in 1974)
1976	Jim Gutierrez (crewmember since 1973)
1977-1978	Steve Rowe
1979-1980	Dan Eckstein
1981-1988	Wilbur Belvado (crewmember since 1976)
1989-1990	Jim Ets Hokin
1991-1992	Mark Kaib (crewmember for few seasons in 80s)
1993-2000	Louis Sandoval
2001-2007	Greg Smith
2008	James Osborne
2009-2011	Mark Babieracki (Fuels detail 2012)
2012	Nate Barrett (Acting)
2013	Mark Babieracki
2014	? (Detailed)
2015-2017	Dean Whitney
2018-Present	Drew Maxwell

The Globe hotshots started in the mid 60's; these were known as the "Suppression Years." During that time, the Globe Ranger Station had two suppression crews, respectively A and B. These crews would fight fire and perform forestry related work. In the early 70's they became an Inter-Regional Hotshot Crew, and in 1974, the crew became an Interagency Hotshot Crew. In 1974 and 1975, there was a Crew Boss and an Assistant, with 3 Squads. The only permanent personnel were the Crew Boss and Assistant. In 1974 they were both detailed from Southern California. In 1975, the Crew Boss was detailed from S. California, with the Assistant being a local, Linny Warren. In 1974 and 1975 the crew was split about 50/50 between college students and non-students (several guys from those years went on to become doctors and lawyers). In 74 the crew had a converted cattle truck for the crew carrier. In 1975 they had 2 rental vans and a Suburban, in which they thought they were living large.

In 1976, the crew went to a longer season, and this reduced the number of students on the crew in order to accommodate personnel being available for the longer season.

In 1978, the crew experimented with a 28 person crew with one Superintendent and 2 Assistants.

Today we carry on the same professional tradition of Region 3 IHC's, as they had in the past. That tradition continues and lives on with duty, integrity and respect.

Background on the Superintendents:

Bill Scarborough was the Physical Education teacher at Globe High School for 25 plus years, and coached their baseball team. He passed away a few years ago. He worked Prevention during the summers on the District for several years after 73.
Jeff Luff retired from the Payette NF as the New Meadows District FMO.
Dean Ziehl is an attorney.
Jimmy Gutierrez resides in Miami, AZ.
Steve Row retired from the Forest Service.
Dan Eckstein currently retired from the Payson Ranger District, as the AFMO, on the Tonto National Forest. Still active as an AD Air Attack.
Wilbur Belvado retired from the BIA-San Carlos Indian Reservation in 2008.
Jim Ets Hokin sustained an injury and changed career paths to the Coronado National Forest. He has since retired and works for the state during the fire season.
Mark Kaib currently works for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in Fire Management.
Louis Sandoval continued working on the Globe Ranger District as the Fuels Specialist from 2001 until he retired. Before Louis came to the Globe Hotshots he was a Flagstaff Hotshot working as the Assistant to Paul Musser.
Greg Smith also came from the Flagstaff Hotshots, where he was a sawyer. At the end of the 07 fire season Greg was offered a job with a new Type 1 training crew for the State of Arizona, the "Ironwood Hotshots." He is currently the Superintendent for Aravaipa, a BLM crew based out of Fort Huachuca.
James Osborne worked for all three hotshot crews on the Tonto National Forest. He was a Senior Crewmember for Globe Hotshots, Squad Leader on Pleasant Valley Hotshots, and an Assistant Superintendent for the Payson Hotshots under Fred Schoeffler. James also was the Acting Superintendent for Payson Hotshots for the 2007 fire season. James is currently a District FMO in Prineville, Oregon.
Mark Babieracki came to the crew in 2001 as a Senior Firefighter from the Flagstaff Hotshots. He left in 2002 to the San Juan IHC as a Squad Leader during their first season, returning to Globe in 2003 as Squad Leader. He was the Assistant from 2006-2008. He detailed as the Superintendent in 2009, and accepted the Superintendent position at the end of the 09 season. Mark is currently a member of the R3 AFUE module.
Dean Whitney came from Black Mesa Hotshots where he was the Assistant from 2010-2014. He detailed into the Assistant Position in Globe during 2008, and detailed into the Assistant position for Pleasant Valley Hotshots during 2004. Prior to working in Arizona, Dean was a Squad Leader on Idaho Panhandle Hotshots from 2001-2005. Dean worked for both La Grande and Union Hotshots from 1994-2000. Currently Dean is a District FMO in Libby, Montana.

Granite Mountain

Year(s)	Superintendent
?	Tim McElwee
?-2013	Eric Marsh

Esse Quam Videri (To be, rather than to seem)

In the spring of 1990, the City Manager of Prescott, Forest Supervisor of the Prescott National Forest, and Prescott Fire Department Staff met to discuss the potential for a devastating wildfire that could affect the community. The ideas that came out of the meeting were for the community to come together with the agencies to prepare for and mitigate this potential problem. The Prescott City Council, Yavapai County, Arizona State Land Department, and Prescott National Forest signed a joint resolution creating the Prescott Area Wildland Urban Interface Commission (PAWUIC), which is a citizen led, agency supported group that continues today as a national model in coordinating and mitigating the risk of wildfire in the Prescott area.

The year 2000 saw the implementation of the National Fire Plan. Prescott was well on its way with PAWUIC to take advantage of the resources in this plan. The problem was that the public education was happening, but we could not get the work done on the ground to protect the community.

In 2001 with the support of PAWUIC and the City of Prescott, the Prescott Fire Department created a Wildland Division. The first order of business for the Widland Division was to conduct a risk assessment and to develop a Community- wide Vegetation Management Plan for the City of Prescott. The risk assessment found that Prescott was "living on the edge" and was designated as one of nine communities in the southwestern United Stated at risk of a catastrophic wildfire. The Vegetation Management Plan addressed the need for fuels reduction and the adoption of a Wildland Urban Interface Fire Code. The Division then took on the task of creating defensible space on private and City owned property via mechanical treatment carried out by a grant funded Fuels Management Crew of five to ten personnel.

On May 15, 2002, the Indian Fire burned 1,300 acres and seven structures adjacent to and within the City of Prescott, and forced the evacuation of 2,500 residents. This incident had a profound effect on public opinion surrounding the Fire Department's new fuels management program, and also planted the seed for an expansion of the duties of the Fuels Management Crew.

In the spring of 2004, the Fuels Management Crew evolved into Crew 7, a Type II Initial Attack Crew, which not only continued the fuels reduction work, but also responded to wildfire and all-risk incidents both regionally and nationally. The Crew took the name, Crew 7, based on the number 7 being the common designator for all of the Prescott Fire Department's stations and engines. The original logo was a pair of "flaming dice" that, of course, always came up seven. The crew overhead consisted of crew boss Tim McElwee, along with Marty Cole, Duane Steinbrink, Todd Rhines, Dan Bauman and Eric Marsh. Seasonals made up the rest, with some members having previous Hotshot experience. From the beginning, the idea that it would be possible to develop a Type I IHC was considered, and every attempt was made to meet IHC requirements in both policy and professionalism.

Prior to the beginning of the 2007 season, Crew 7 was granted IHC trainee status by the Southwest Coordinating Group. This prompted a name change. Local landmarks provided choices such as Iron Springs, Sierra Prieta, and Whisky Row, but Granite Mountain Hotshots won out and the crew was named after the dominating land feature just northwest of Prescott. By this time, the crew had eight full-time permanent positions with the balance still being filled with seasonal employees. A tradition began of hiring three or four "overhires" which allowed for the fuels projects to continue while the crew was off district, and also allowed for some extra depth of employees in case of injuries or performance issues.

The IHC certification process was challenging, partly because no non-federal crew had ever been certified in Region 3 before. Through the use of the Region 5 IHC certification process, which later became the template for the national standard, and tremendous support from the fire community, Granite Mountain persevered. In September of 2008, while on an assignment on the Klamath NF, the crew received a phone call from their home unit stating that they had just received certification as an Interagency Hotshot Crew. A short "ceremony" ensued where the't' that stood for trainee on the back of the Superintendent's truck was scraped off, finally reading Granite Mountain IHC.

In 2008 Crew 7, the fire and fuels contract crew hosted by Prescott Fire Department became officially certified as the Granite Mountain Interagency Hotshot Crew. The first hotshot crew in the nation of its kind. They fought wildland fire throughout the country every summer, even fighting fire on Granite Mountain in Prescott in June of 2013. On June 30th, 2013, the Yarnell Hill Fire entrapped the crew, and nineteen men perished, leaving one surviving member.

The tragedy that claimed these beautiful men has changed the course of all our lives. They left behind families and friends and have impacted in such a powerful way people in and out of the fire service around the globe. Those of us so close inside the circle of this tragedy have had to learn to cope with their deaths. We've had to learn how to move forward even though the pain of losing them is still sometimes debilitating. Their children are growing up without them but growing up they are. They're a gorgeous bunch and every time I see them, I see the legacies of our 19 and I always cry. To us the Granite Mountain Hotshots aren't just a number, they're our husbands, dads, sons, brothers. Although we've passed the nine-year anniversary these men are loved beyond measure, our memories of them never fade, their love for us and our love for them is eternal. We will miss them forever.

Amanda Marsh Widow of Eric Marsh

Superintendent of the Granite Mountain Hotshots

Ironwood

Year(s)	Superintendent
?	Greg Smith

2014 will be the last year for the Ironwood Hotshots, with the final day of the season being October 3. This crew was the culmination of years of hard work by members of the Northwest Fire District's Wildland personnel, with the District sponsoring a Type 2 handcrew as early as 1996.

In 2007, Chief Piechura decided, and the Board approved, to upgrade the District's Type 2IA crew to a Type 1 Interagency Hotshot Crew. This required the addition of five full time positions to fill the leadership roles on the crew. Applications were accepted from both internal and external individuals, and after an extensive testing process the following personnel were selected to take on the challenges associated with starting a nationally certified Interagency Hotshot Crew:

Greg Smith filled the role of Superintendent. At the time, Greg was the Superintendent for the Globe Hotshots on the Tonto National Forest. Greg had 15 years of Hotshot experience with the Forest Service before making the decision to take on the challenge of starting the first Hotshot crew in the nation sponsored by a Fire District.

Tony Johnson assumed one of the two Captain positions on the Crew. Tony was already a Northwest Fire employee, and had several years of previous Wildland experience. He started with the District as a seasonal in 1995, going full time in 1997.

Brian Robinson assumed the other Captain position. Brian had 8 years of previous experience with the US Forest Service before accepting his job with Northwest.

Adam Mackey filled one of the Squad Boss positions. Adam also came from within the Northwest Fire District, starting his full time employment with the District in 2005.

Derek Schloss was the other Squad Boss. Derek came from the Forest Service with 8 years of Wildland firefighting experience. (And as far as I know, still holds the record for the fastest time climbing the Moqui lookout tower on the Coconino National Forest.)

In July of 2009, the crew also added two full time Lead firefighters. Jesse Barr and Jeremy Shiba had worked as Wildland seasonals for the District since the Spring of 2005, and were hired for these Lead positions to meet National Certification Standards. (Jeremy still holds the record for the fastest pole climbing.)

In 2012 Tony Johnson moved back to a Structure position with Northwest. The decision was made to go with the other nationally approved Hotshot organization, with only one captain, but with three Squad bosses. Brian remained as the crew Captain, Jeremy Shiba was selected as the third Squad Boss, and Damien Vrbanic was hired as another full time Lead firefighter on the crew. Damien had worked seasonally with the crew since 2008.

The District, through the State of Arizona, petitioned the Southwest Coordinating Group (SWCG) in 2007 to form a Type 1 Hotshot crew. The SWCG agreed, and the crew was established as a Trainee crew at the start of the 2008 season. They had a very successful year, and continued into the 2009 season as a Trainee crew as well. Greg did not want to rush the certification process. He wanted to make sure everything that occurred with the crew was "above board". In October of 2009, four Hotshot Superintendents from Arizona and New Mexico, as well as the Tonto National Forest Fire Staff Officer, under the direction of the SWCG, conducted a three day inspection of the crew. At the end of the three days all five recommended that the crew be fully certified as a Type 1 Interagency Hotshot crew. The SWCG agreed to the certification, and submitted their recommendation to the National Wildfire Coordination Group (NWCG). In late 2009, the crew received their letter of certification from the NWCG, and started 2010 as fully certified.

In 2012 and 2014, the crew worked under a contract with the Tohono O'odham Nation, spending weeks conducting fuels mitigation work around the observatories on Kitt Peak. These observatories have international significance, and hopefully the work the crew did up there will help protect them when a wildfire occurs.

During their time on the District, the Ironwood Hotshots have had two "homes", both being known as the WOC (Wildland Operations Center). The original WOC was located at the old Fleet facilities location on Curtis and Davis. Though this station had seen better days, the Wildland folks worked hard maintaining and repairing it, and it worked well in meeting their needs. In 2009, a new Station 33 was built by the District. The Hotshots then moved their operations from the Curtis and Davis location to the old Station 33 (new WOC) on Thornydale Road, just south of Magee. The crew was utilized to refurbish the interior of the station and build shelving in the bays. They also built a great saw shop out of an old storage shed. This station worked out really well for the crew.

The crew typically responded to incidents with four vehicles; the Superintendent rig, the two crew carriers, and another pick-up used to tow a UTV. At times, when the crew was responding to fires in the southern Arizona area, they would also take a Type 6 engine with them to increase their capabilities. The crew carriers were originally purchased by the District in 2003 to replace a bus that they had been using for the crew. In 2010 and 2011 we replaced the cab and chassis on the buggies. The crew also acquired a new Superintendent truck in 2013. Several of the overhead on the crew obtained their Commercial Drivers Licenses to be certified to drive the crew carriers.

Numerous Ironwood Hotshot seasonal employees have used the training and experience they got on the crew to further their firefighting careers. One currently works with the Northwest Fire District, three are at Tucson FD, three are at Golder Ranch FD, one at Avra Valley FD, one at Drexel FD, one at Rural Metro FD, one at Goodyear FD, and one at Mesa FD. Additionally, several of them currently work as seasonals in Wildland firefighter positions with the Federal Government. The seven full time Leadership personnel on the crew have all completed their structure academies and EMT certification, and will be moved into Structure firefighter positions within the Northwest Fire District.

The crew received numerous awards and accolades during their time, and was well respected by their peers. They had an outstanding safety record during their time on the District, driving over 500,000 miles without a reportable accident, and there were no lost time personal injuries the past two years.

In between fires, the crew was always ready to help in other areas of the District where needed. Their great attitude towards whatever job was thrown their way was an admirable trait. The crew had over 10,000 hours of time spent on projects within the District during their time here.

Mesa

Year(s)	Superintendent
1972-1976	John C. Jones
1977	Robert Jones
1978-1979	Bob Ortlund
1980	Fred Schoeffler
1981-1987?	Ben Cline
1986	Greg Stoyer, Jon Selby (Off forest assignments)
1988-1994	Jeff Prevéy
1995	Bill Matney
1996-1997	Carl Simons
1998-2000	Marty Rose
2000-2002	Rogers Wright
2003-2006	Fred Thompson
2007	Kevin McPhee (detail)
2008-2009	Andy Bernard
2010-?	Patrick Moore (2010 detail)
2020	Tyler Chesarek (detail-Moore injured)
2020-Current	Patrick Moore

Duty, Respect, and Integrity

Pleasant Valley was created administratively on the Tonto National Forest in the fall of 1972 and had their first operational season in 1973. The crew was stationed in Young, AZ at the Pleasant Valley Ranger Station. For the first several seasons, the crew utilized vans and stake-side trucks for close assignments and out of region fires. For fires within the region that were a bit farther out, the crew had their own Twin Otter aircraft that flew them to many remote airstrips around the Southwest.

In 2012, the Tonto decided to go to a Zone management concept for Fire management. In order to have one IHC on each Zone, Pleasant Valley was moved to the Mesa RD to be the crew for the Tonto "South Zone". The move occurred over the winter of 2012-13 and had their final season named Pleasant Valley. In 2014, the name was changed to reflect their host district to Mesa IHC.

Some Original Logos:

Mescalero

Year(s)	Superintendent
1986	Gary Stone (detailed)
1987-1988	Steve Rowe
1988-1994	Leo LaPaz
1994-1998	Gary Ahidley
1999-2003	Leland Pellman
2004-2006	Lewellyn Mendez

The Mescalero Apache Type I Crew, Mescalero Apache Hotshots originated from the Mescalero Apache Redhats. Since then the Mescalero Apache Tribe under the guidance of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Mescalero Agency established a Type I Crew in 1986 called the Mescalero Hotshots. Mr. Gary Stone was detailed as the first Crew Supervisor of the Mescalero Hotshots. The Crew was based out of the Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation at the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Branch of Forestry/Fire Management Complex (Apache Summit). The crew was dispatched during the '86 fire season to California, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, New York and various places in New Mexico.

After one year as a Type I crew the Mescalero Interagency Hotshot Crew was formed under the supervision of Mr. Steve Rowe in 1987. As the Crew Superintendent, Mr. Rowe supervised the Crew through the end of the 1988 fire season whereas Mr. Leo LaPaz was then appointed Crew Superintendent. Mr. LaPaz held the crew together until the 1994 season then Mr. Gary Ahidley assumed the role as the Superintendent. Mr. Ahidley stayed with the crew until the 1998 season. In 1999, Mr. Leland Pellman was appointed the Crew Superintendent up until the end of the 2003 fire season. In 2004, Mr. Lewellyn Mendez assumed the position of crew superintendent until the end of the 2006 fire season. The crew is currently in the process of selecting an IHC superintendent.

The crew has been deployed to many incidents throughout the United States ranging from the West Coast to the East Coast and all points in between. Not only has the crew suppressed wildland fires but have assisted in hurricane relief, flood control, prescribed fire, fire use and fuels treatment and continues to do so today.

The crew is employed for a six month period under the fire management program during the summer months and assists the home unit during the off season, funded by the fuels program at the home unit and surrounding communities.

Mormon Lake

Year(s)	Superintendent
1976	Tony Czak
1977-1983	Milford Suida
1983-1987	Dave Jones
1987-1995	Jesse Tisino
1996-2002	Kirk Smith
2003-2006	Robert Auza
2006-2017	Matt Caouette
2018-present	Sara Sweeney

The Mormon Lake Interagency Hotshot Crew is a U.S. Forest Service sponsored Type I crew based on the Coconino National Forest in Flagstaff, AZ. The crew was founded in 1976 and originally based at the Mormon Lake Guard Station, 25 miles south of Flagstaff. In 1979, the crew moved to the Mormon Lake Work Center, on the southern edge of town and remains based there today. In 1989, the crew adopted red and black as crew colors and designed the current crew logo, a silhouetted elk head.

On July 7, 1976, three crewmembers were entrapped and perished on the Battlement Creek fire in western Colorado. Steven Furey, Scott Nelson and Superintendent Tony Czak are remembered as pioneers of the Mormon Lake Hotshots and memorialized at the Western Slope Fire Center in Colorado.

After working his way up through the ranks from rookie crewmember in 1984, Kirk A. Smith was appointed Superintendent in 1996. Kirk ran the crew until he was diagnosed with cancer in 2001. Sadly, on September 11, 2002, Kirk passed away. He is remembered and dearly missed by the Hotshot community.

Robert Auza was appointed Superintendent in 2003 and served until 2006, when Matt Caouette, a long-time member of the crew, was hired into that position. Matt remained the superintendent until his retirement in 2017.

Sara Sweeney was hired in spring 2018 to help continue the proud Mormon Lake IHC tradition of fire management. The crew continues to produce high quality and strongly principled leaders in the wildland fire community.

Mt. Taylor

Year(s)	Superintendent
2001-2005	Joe Julian (2001 acting)
2006-2007	Manuel Martinez (acting)
2008-2009	Brian Drinville
2010	Edward Baca (acting)
2011-2013	Cathleen J. Lowe
2014-Present	Chris Brashears

The MT. TAYLOR HOTSHOTS were established in 2001 after the record breaking fire season of 2000. The crew was considered a type 1 trainee crew initially and had to work hard in becoming a fully certified Hotshot Crew. The crew was in trainee status for 3 fire seasons and at the end of the 2003 fire season the crew was officially recognized and considered a full fledged Hotshot Crew. The crew is based out of Grants, NM and hosted by the Mt. Taylor Ranger District off of the Cibola National Forest. The crew name was acquired from Mt. Taylor which is the highest point (11,301') on the Mt. Taylor Ranger District. The crew logo came about from one of the crewmembers designing it with a little Native American touch added since the local area is surrounded by different Native American cultures.

The Mt. Taylor Hotshots have assisted in numerous all risk assignments during the history of the crew. The crew has been involved on assignments in the Western half of the US, Georgia, and Canada. In 2003 the crew was also involved in the space shuttle Columbia recovery efforts. The crew has also assisted numerous forests across the country in fuels management by assisting in mechanical treatment projects and RX burns.

Navajo

Year(s)	Superintendent
2002-2008	Leo Lapaz
2009	Kevin Pelman
2010-2013	Johnson Benallie
2013-Present	Vann Smith

The Navajo IHC (Interagency Hotshot Crew) is a Type I wildland firefighting crew sponsored by the BIA (Bureau of Indian Affairs), Navajo Region Fire Management. The crew is based out of Fort Defiance, Arizona, on the Navajo Indian Reservation, and is located seven miles north of Window Rock, near the four-corners region. The Navajo reservation is comprised of more than 17 million acres of land within Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, where approximately 5.8 million acres of that is commercial timber.

The crew was established in 2002, after several years of planning within the BIA Navajo Region Fire Management, along with the Navajo Tribe and the National Interagency Fire Center. Initially identified as a Type I "training" crew, the Navajo IHC traveled to various locations within the country to assist in wildland fire suppression activities, as well as assisting in natural catastrophic disaster relief efforts. Because the crew met all requirements set forth in the National Interagency Hotshot Guide, they received equivalent assignments as other hotshot crews while on incidents. In August of 2005 the Navajo IHC acquired its certification status after being reviewed and evaluated by representatives of different federal agencies, including the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife and the BIA.

Following certification, the Navajo IHC continued to excel both physically and mentally to exceed standards set forth by the National Interagency Hotshot Guide. This included physically training each crew member to meet and/or exceed the physical fitness standards within the Guide, where each crew member completes the mile and half running test in ten minutes and thirty-five seconds, as well as the push-ups, sit-ups, and pull-ups standards. The crew's physical training program consists of 5 to 10 mile runs, as well as weight training. The Navajo IHC program's overall goal is to offer training opportunities, either through classroom and/or on the job, to each crewmember, so that the minimum qualification within the crew is at least as a certified firefighter Type- one/Squad Boss.

In 2003, the Navajo IHC acquired a trailer, through government surplus, that was intended for use by the crew as office space and a training facility. However, due to the poor condition that the trailer was in, major repairs were needed prior to occupancy. Over several years, with purchases of supplies and equipment using hotshot funding, the crew was able to complete all major repairs, including building a deck and plumbing the building. In the fall of 2007, approval was given from facilities management to occupy the building. Living quarters that are available for crewmembers are located within the BIA Fire Management compound. Accommodations include a kitchen, a great room, men and women's bathroom and showering facilities, laundry room and a weight room.

The Navajo IHC Superintendent, Leo La Paz, with fourteen years of hotshot experience and twenty five years of overall fire management experience, was recruited in 2002 and is a member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe. He has been with the crew since it was established and currently has qualifications that include Division Supervisor, Safety Officer II, Burn Boss, Type 3 Incident Commander and a C-certifier, and is recognized as the National C-certifier Program Manager. In January 2007, the position of Crew Assistant Superintendent was filled by Johnson Benallie, who has been with the crew since 2003. He currently has qualifications as a Type 4 Incident Commander, Crew Boss, Strike Team Leader, and has a B.S. in Forestry. Former Crew Assistant Superintendents includes Nathaniel Nozie and Tony Parks. The current Squad Bosses for the crew include Vann Smith, whose qualifications include Crew Boss, Incident Commander Type 4, and Strike Team Leader; Learoyd Begay, with Incident Commander Type 5 and a Crew Boss task book; and Golden Moore with Incident Commander Type 5 and Crew Boss qualifications. All other crewmembers have varying qualifications that range from Firefighter Type II to Crew Boss trainees. Aside from the Superintendent, all personnel on the Navajo IHC are enrolled members of the Navajo Tribe.

The Navajo IHC logo was developed by various individuals within the Navajo fire program and represents the cultural values and beliefs upheld by the tribal members within the crew. Each symbol used within the emblem signifies traditional and sacred values passed on from previous generations.

Payson

Year(s)	Superintendent
1973-1975	Paul Hefner
1975-1978	Ken Eckstein
1978-1981	Dale Ashby
1981-1989	Fred Schoeffler
1990	Tom Pearson (detailed)
?-1995	Fred Schoeffler
1996	Marty Rose (detailed)
?-1998	Fred Schoeffler
1999	Holly Maloney
?-2007	Fred Schoeffler
2007	James Osborne (detailed)
2007-present	Mike Schinstock

Payson Hot Shots was one of several R-3 Hot Shot Crews established in 1972, hired mostly as AD employees. In 1973, the Crew was more formalized under Crew Foreman Paul Hefner. In 1974, the Payson Hot Shots achieved Type I status and the Crew worked split days off and so only worked together three days a week.

The original Payson Hot Shot emblem was a stenciled outline of the Tonto N.F. within the State of Arizona on the back of a Filson vest. In 1975, Squad Boss Billy Hardt, designed the USFS shield outline with flame, lightning bolt, Pulaski, and tree. In 1976, the Crew adopted the 'Ruger Bird' and lightning bolt as designed by Donna Chapla. Payson Hot Shots has kept both of these as their emblems as well as the hallmark 'Superior Skill and Daring.'

Payson Hot Shots has had three bases in its history. Originally at the old Payson R.D on Main Street, now a museum; as part of the present lower Administrative Site; and its present location, the former Helitack Base, in 1999.

In 2002, Payson Hot Shots was "stood down" to a Type II Crew at the behest of management, a humbling experience, and in 2003 they regained their Type I status.

Payson Hot Shots has fought wildfires in virtually every state of the Union, including Alaska and one assignment to Ontario, Canada. They have continued to follow the Hot Shot traditions of duty, respect, and integrity.

Prescott

Year(s)	Superintendent
1972	George Pittman
1973-1974	Durk Lokes
1975-1977	Mark Zumwalt
1978-1985	Glen Dundas
1986-1988	Tom Tobin
1988-1998	Tony Sciacca
1999-2001	Curtis Heaton
2002-2004	Jeff Andrews
2005-present	Darin Fisher

The Prescott Hotshots originated in 1972 with the formation of a regular crew. George Pittman was the crew boss with a crew made up of Prescott College students.

The Prescott Hotshot Crew was established in July 1973. The base of operations for the crew was and continues to be located in Prescott, Arizona. The original base for the crew was at the Groom Creek Work Center. The crew moved to the newly built Prescott Fire Center and Henry Y.H Kim Aviation Center in 1991. In 1973, Durk Lokes ran the crew and applied for and attained category 1 status.

In 1975, the crew took on a new look with Mark Zumwalt at the helm. It was at this time that Mark brought with him new technology and crew structure from California and the crew became truly Inter- Regional.

In 1977 the crew had 30 people assigned with three sections of ten persons each. The sections rotated and fillers were used from other sections to remain with a 20 person crew at all times.

In 1978, Glen Dundas became the Superintendent and made changes to the overhead structure of the crew to have one Superintendent, two Foreman and two working Squad Bosses. He also made changes to the physical standards and physical training program which the crew is still using today.

Tom Tobin assumed command of the crew in July of 1985. Physical standards remained the same as the integration of a diversified workforce began. That year new crew transportation was purchased which consisted of one chase truck and two nine passenger crew carriers. Due to an injury Tom was reassigned to dispatch in 1988.

Tony Sciacca a seasoned member of the crew took command following Tom's absence. In 1991 the crew moved from the Groom Creek Work center to the newly built Prescott Fire Center and Henry Y.H. Kim Aviation Center, Tony's tour as Superintendent ended at the end of the 1998 fire season, from there he moved on to be a District Fire Management Officer on the Prescott National Forest.

Curtis Heaton who worked his way up through the ranks became Superintendent in 1999 where he remained until the end of the 2001 fire season, he then moved on to the Fish and Wildlife Service as a Wildland Urban Interface Specialist. Curtis eventually returned to the Prescott National Forest and became the Forest Fire Management Officer. In 2008, Curtis left the Prescott National Forest to become the Operations Section Chief of the Phoenix based NIMO team.

Jeff Andrews who also worked his way up through the ranks became Superintendent in 2002. Jeff remained in the position until 2005 and then took the positions of Assistant Fire Management Officer and Dispatch Center Manager at the Prescott Fire Center. Currently, he is the Prescott National Forest Fire Management Officer.

Darin Fisher took a position as a Captain in 2000 after time on the Eldorado, Flagstaff, Asheville, and Mormon Lake Hotshots. In 2005, he became the Superintendent which is the position he has to this day.

Since 1973 when the crew first received Type 1 status it has gone through many changes with equipment, technology, and training. But the overall job of a Hotshot has not changed, it still remains as an elite, professional, and outstanding crew of Wildland Firefighters.

Sacramento

Year(s)	Superintendent
Catalina Superintendents
1973-1974	Greg Greenhoe
1974	Andy Traverse
1975	Steve Gunzel
1975-1978	Jeff Hogg
1978-1980	Scott Parsons
1980-1981	Steve Palmer
1981-1982	George Kleindienst
Sacramento Superintendents
1982-1984	George Kleindienst
1984	Jerry Grim
1985-1987	Bob Pena
1988-1989	Ricky Smith
1990-2002	Bob Wright
2002-2005	Duane Tewa
2005-Present	Matt Barone

Sacramento Interagency Hotshot Crew (IHC) is a nationally funded USDA Forest Service fire suppression crew. The crew was relocated to the Lincoln National Forest in south central New Mexico in 1983. The crew originally established with many other new Region 3 IHC's in 1973 on the Coronado National Forest. The crew was established as Catalina Hotshots based at palisades guard station on Mt. Lemmon, located just north of Tucson AZ. In 1982 the Coronado proposed to the region that the crew be moved due to insufficient funds and facilities. Interests came from many National Forests, the Kaibab, Apache Sitgraves and Cibola but the Lincoln proved to be the ideal location as they already had facilities and compound/admin site to host the crew and a growing urban interface. In December of 1982 the crew moved to Sacramento New Mexico. George Kleindienst the Superintendent of Catalina Hotshots moved to the Lincoln with just a few of his overhead. The first year in 1983 consisted of George a crew foreman, two squad leaders and 16 smokejumpers considered Missoula jumpers. This was technically called the Sacramento Hotshots. In 1984 the crew officially got organized as George left and Jerry Grim came in as Superintendent.

Sacramento New Mexico is located on the south end of the Sacramento Mountains in south central New Mexico. The Sacramento District office is located in Cloudcroft New Mexico that sits at 9000ft elevation. The Sacramento Hotshot base is located in Sacramento New Mexico, 35 miles south east of Cloudcroft and sits at 7200ft elevation with a dominate ponderosa pine forest. Sacramento Hotshots have occupied this base from 1983 to present.

Sante Fe

Year(s)	Superintendent
1977-1978	Al Lopez
1979-1984	Gary Olsen
1985	Bill Moulton
1986-1987	James Dean (JD) Killick
1988-1991	Alan Gillette
1991-1995	Andrew Serrano
1995-1996	Charlie Martin
1997	Robert Morales
1998-1999	Charlie Martin
2000-2006	Richard Tingle
2007	vacant
2008-2010	Chris D. Tipton
2011-Present	David M. Simpson

The Santa Fe Hotshots were established in 1977. A Fire Management Officer had wanted to call the crew the Redondo Hotshots (named after a prominent peak in the Jemez Mountains). After some negotiation the crew's name was chosen, and the Santa Fe Hotshots were formed. The Tesuque Ranger District originally hosted the crew, until that district combined with the Espanola Ranger District. The Santa Fe Hotshots are presently managed by the Supervisor's Office of the Santa Fe National Forest, but have a work center/base that they operate out of in downtown Santa Fe. The crew's current "Three Horsemen" logo represents the three dominant cultures in northern New Mexico: Native American, Anglo, and Spanish. It was originally drawn in 1997. More recently, this past fall Jared Bell accepted the Assistant Superintendent position, which had been vacant since the spring of 2020. Jared has over 11 years of previous Hotshot experience and has spent the last 4 years as an initial response Dozer Swamper and Operator with the BLM on the Elko District in Nevada.

Silver City

Year(s)	Superintendent
1977-1986	George Grijalva
1986-1988	Ricky Sedillo
1988-1992	Kevin Joseph
1992-1995	Mick Guck
1996-1999	Dan Key
2000-2001	John Burfiend
2002-2003	Keith Matthes
2004	Mark Bernal (acting)
2005	Mike Schinstock (detail)
2006-2010	Cathleen Lowe
2011-2015	Pedro "Pete" Valenzuela
2016-2021	Marcus Cornwell
2021-Present	Harry Justin Romero

The Silver City Hotshots started in 1977 on the South end of the Gila National Forest on the Silver City Ranger District. The Gila National Forest covers 3.3 million acres and is home to the Gila and the Aldo Leopold wilderness areas. The crew was started from scratch and became an IHC their first year. They are stationed 10 miles out of Silver City New Mexico at Fort Bayard which is a forest service work center serving the hotshot crew, two engine crews, livestock, and facilities for the range department. The crew has been based out of there since their inception. The base started out as a shop/training room, the District Rangers house, and a small trailer. After their first season the shop burned to the ground during the winter. The facilities now include one bunk house a singlewide trailer a 4000 square foot metal building housing the crew carriers, shop, workout room and working space for the crew. Another building houses the training room.

The first Superintendent was George Grijalva who ran the crew from 1977 to 1986. The crew was known for wearing the old silver aluminum hardhats polished to a sheen, the "chrome domes". George and the crew discovered the logo for the Silver City Hotshots pinned on a wall in a gas station down in Hanover New Mexico. It was a picture of Smokey Bear running thru flames bearing shovel with his teeth bared. It came from a MAD magazine and was quickly adopted as the crew logo and has been the same logo with only minor touch up throughout the years, the shovel was changed to a Pulaski in the 80's and color was added in the 90's. From 1977 to 1986 the crew traveled to and from fires in 10 passenger vans, receiving crew buggies in 1986.

Ricky Sedillo was the superintendent halfway through the 1986 fire season up until 1988 and was followed up by Kevin Joseph from 1988 until 1992, Kevin changed the crew t- shirt colors to grey during this time and the crew hardhats changed from the aluminum "chrome domes" to yellow plastic bullards for the crew and red for the superintendent and foreman.

Mick Guck was superintendent from 1992 until 1995 and was then followed by Dan Key from 1996 until 1999. During this time the hard hats were changed to blue, and the crew shirt was changed to the navy blue color that the crew still wears today. Another fact during Dan Key's time as superintendent the Regional Office tried to get rid of the fighting bear logo and Dan went to bat for it at the Regional Office and we allowed to keep it.

John Burfiend was the superintendent from 2000-2001 followed by Keith Matthes from 2002-2003. Mark Bernal was the acting superintendent during the 2004 season. In 2005 Mike Schinstock was detailed from the George Washington-Jefferson National Forest in Virginia for the season. The superintendent was filled permanently in the spring of 2006 with Cathleen Lowe who was the Crew Superintendent until 2010 by accepting a transfer to the Mt. Taylor IHC Superintendent position. Pedro "Pete" Valenzuela was the Superintendent from 2011-2015 followed by Marcus Cornwall who was Superintendent from 2016-2021. In the fall of 2021 Harry Justin Romero officially accepted and is currently the Superintendent for the crew. Romero has been with Silver City IHC since 2004.

The crew starts in the middle of March to be ready for the Southwest fire season and runs until the middle to end of September. They have traveled as far as Alaska, Canada, Minnesota, Florida, and North Carolina and all throughout the western States.

Past Logo

Smokey Bear

Year(s)	Superintendent
1976-1984	Andy Hale
1985-1987	Jerry Grim
1987-1999	Bob LaMay
1999-2013	Rich Dolphin
2013-Present	Beau Jarvis

Prior to the establishment of the Smokey Bear Hotshot Crew the Smokey Bear Ranger District, Lincoln National Forest utilized three six-man suppression crews. They were named Ruidoso, Eagle Creek, and Bonito. At one point there was a Ruidoso "Hotshot" Crew, comprised of volunteer firefighters.

The Smokey Bear Hotshot Crew was established in March 1976. The base of operations for the crew was and continues to be located in Ruidoso, New Mexico. The first crew consisted of 27 members with 7 day coverage of 20 people every day. The Washington Office approved the use of the name "Smokey Bear" due to the close proximity to the "Gap Fire" in the Capitan Mountains where Smokey Bear was found.

In 1976, the crew used a bunkhouse rented from the University of New Mexico. This also served as the crew's duty station. The duty station relocated to the District Office in 1977. No housing was available at the District Office until 1999. Crew facilities at the district were a shared office converted from a vehicle bay. The crew facility moved to a shared office in the newly constructed "fire barn" in 1988. In 2001, a Fire Operations building was completed with offices, cache, conference room and weight room for the crew.

In 1976, crew transportation was a school bus. In 1977, two rental vans provided transportation with fabricated plywood storage boxes affixed on top for tools and gear. From 1978 until 1984 agency vans were used. Beginning in 1984, a Superintendent Truck and two 10 person Crew Carriers have been used for transport.

Transportation to assignments in the 70s and early 80s was often accomplished by use of a contract Convair 580, Douglas DC-3, or De Haviland Twin Otter aircraft. The crew would depart from airports in Alamogordo, Roswell, Holloman AFB and Albuquerque in New Mexico and El Paso, Texas.

Issued equipment the first year was limited to a red hard hat (assigned by the Regional Office), two nomex fire shirts, a one gallon canteen, a cruisers vest, a snake bite kit, a web belt with two 1-quart canteens, a canvas pack for personal gear, and an early version of a fire shelter worn around the waist. Crew members were responsible for furnishing their own gloves. The crew carried one pack set 4 channel radio. Four Homelite or McCulloch chainsaws were available for use on both fire and work projects. Today, crewmembers are provided a full complement of line gear and all season overnight gear. Each crewmember is assigned a project saw with multiple saws carried for Incident Assignment. Up to 15 handheld radios are used for assignments as well as GPS, laptops, IPads, with remote access, and a satellite phone.

Work projects the first couple of years consisted primarily of a fuel break constructed on Grindstone Mesa, the ridge between Cedar Creek and Brady Canyon, and Alfred Hale Ridge. Due to limited chainsaw availability, much of the thinning was accomplished by Pulaski, double and single bit axes. Current project work includes Rx burn preparation, Rx burning, thinning, trail maintenance and facility maintenance.

In the early years, physical conditioning consisted of group exercises and 1 to 3 mile runs up Cedar Creek or at a track that was located were the White Mountain middle school is now. A 1/4 mile fitness trail was constructed in 1978 by the Hotshot crew. A longer fitness trail of 1.3 miles was completed in 1980 and opened for public use. Currently crew runs up to 5 miles and fitness hikes are part of the PT program. The weight room is fully equipped and used daily including days with extended runs or hikes.

In 1976, crew organization consisted of a permanent Hotshot Foreman and two temporary Squad Bosses, with the remaining personnel being temporary crewmembers. 1988 was the first year with female crew members, Bequi Parsons and Cheryl Boyd.

In 1991, the Foreman position was reclassified to Superintendent and a permanent Assistant position was established (13/13). In 1997, two permanent Squad Boss (13/13) positions were established. Currently, the crew has eleven appointed positions, Superintendent (PFT), Captain (PFT), three Squad Leaders (18/8) and six Senior Firefighters (13/13).

Zuni

Year(s)	Superintendent
2001-2003	Carl Crawford
2004-2005	Tony Parks
2006-2010	Troy Cachini
2010-2014	Myron Sheche
2014-2018	Todd Etsate
2019-Present	Rickey Booqua Jr.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Zuni Agency (Agency) established the Zuni Interagency Hotshot Crew (IHC) Program in September 2001. The IHC is based out of west-central New Mexico on the Zuni Indian Reservation, Zuni, NM. Zuni is one of 19 pueblos in the state. The Reservation is estimated at 463,270 acres, which includes 242,766 acres of forest.

The BIA, National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) funds seven hotshot crews nationally. The Zuni IHC is a proud member of the current seven active crews.

During the planning stages from 1997- 1999, supervisory candidates including Paley Coonsis, Sr., Troy Cachini, and Todd Etsate were sent on detail assignments to the Mescalero Hotshots in Mescalero, NM, and the Redmond Hotshot Crew in Redmond, OR to gain knowledge and skills in supervising a hotshot crew.

Upon receiving full funding from NIFC, the Zuni IHC was identified as a trainee crew from September 2001 to December 2003. The IHC's very first assignment was led by Carl Crawford to the devastated World Trade Center in 2001. Mr. Crawford was the Assistant Superintendent of the Chief Mountain Hotshot Crew for numerous years prior to accepting the Zuni IHC Superintendent position.

In September 2003, the Agency submitted to the Southwest Coordination Center and to NIFC documentation requesting for full certification of the Zuni IHC as a Type I Interagency Hotshot Crew.

In December 2003, the Agency was officially notified by Kirk Rowdabaugh, 2002-2003 Chairman, Southwest Coordination Group, and Jim Stires, Chief, Branch of Fire Management National Interagency Fire Center, that the Zuni IHC was granted full certification. The Zuni IHC has been available and served as a national resource ever since.

On August 12, 2004, the new Agency Fire Management Building was completed. This accommodated the Zuni IHC with modern office space, cache, training facilities, indoor crew carrier space, and a conference room.

Files

Interagency_Hotshot_Crews_History.md

Latest commit

History