I been at it for 23 seasons, Started out as Helitak for 2 seasons which was a big commitment, 10hr days, 14dy work periods with your regular 2 day off. Until I got picked up by Geronimo Hotshots, that's when the fire life really took off for me. I haven't had a summer, Father's Day, B-day, summer with family since. I mean my brother, sisters, mom, dad were fire fighters. I'm the only one who made it to where I am today as a single resource, history in the making haha. I sometimes wish I stuck it out with the shot crew, I miss it when I see bros still with crew that are over heads and supts. Man hotshot life was the best and still is the best job I have ever done. Thank God for my family and for sticking it out with me with all the support. My son today is fallowing in my foot steps looking for a crew a place he can home. All I can say is that I am proud of him because I never pushed him into the fire world. I asked him one day why did he had decided to walk into the fire life? His response was all the cool stories, videos, photos of all the cool places you been while being outdoors. I just thought I'd share a bit of my side of my fire life story and history. Thank you guys brothers and sisters you guys are awesome stay safe hopefully I'll run into you guys somewhere out on the line 💪🏽🔥

THIS... This is what I want to do for my foreseeable future! All those times people asked me, "what do you want to do when you grow up?" and I responded with, "I dunno" . THIS is the hidden gem! I so badly want to join in

I was a wildland firefighter in the midwest so in the spring I was working everyday, even without active fire. Eventually my agency adopted 14 and 21 days to force a day off. Before then we would be on straight through. The rest of the year I was a part time conservation warden working weekends in addition to my full time job as a Forestry Technician. In the winter was the only time I wasn't working 6 or 7 days a week. I am a father of 3 who are getting college age. I didn't realize how much of their lives I had missed until I stopped that schedule about 5 years ago. I would suggest these schedules are for the young or single. You never get that time back.

Great video, made me remember my 5 years on Hotshot crews. They need to get paid an honest wage for the risks they face and the sacrifices they make. Entry level is still roughly $15/hour (less than Starbucks pays), and even after 19 years in a federal fire career, Im still making less than a journeyman tradesperson. We all stick with it for different reasons, despite the low pay, but Im not sure the younger generation is going to enter this field of work when it pays so much less than other jobs, while demanding so much more.

More peolple ought to watch this kind of stuff , Makes the common understand what the folks go thru, It isn't easy. To all the Hotshots, Thank you for what you do.

Some of the best fire stories I’ve heard were told the day after a huge fire when our type 1 team was at a mandatory “chill” day before going home. They know how wound up everyone is, and they let us decompress before our return to the normal world.

Heroes every one. We had a horrible fire season in SW Montana a couple of years ago and fire crews came in from all over and were amazing.

Love each and EVERY ONE of Yall! As an air-tanker pilot, there are very few human beings that really get what yall do...let alone what we do. Thank YOU for sharing!

I wish I could tell you all (every wild land firefighter) how grateful I am for what you all do and sacrifice. As a resident of the Southwest (NM and NV) for the past 24 years, I am in constant awe of your bravery and commitment. If I could cook every one of you an amazing meal, I would. Generations to come owe you a huge debt of thanks. Bless you all. Be safe and be well. ❤🙏

Salute to my brothers & sisters out there on the fireline i started my first fire season only at 18 sadly i was an in a prison fire camp none the less we worked our butt off & mostly went through the bs parts for less than $1 an hour but still had some great memories out on the line !! Keep it up much love & respect!! 🔥 🚒

Matt irving did a great job on this video. He captured alot of what fire is all about and the small nuisances we go through on a daily basis. Great work Craig, we're all here for you.

Craig, we feel for you guys. I couldn't imagine what you've been through this summer❤

Much respect to all the crews out there. I started out my career in firefighting with CDF after the military then switched to a good size municipal FD in CA. Stay safe out there. KUDOS for a job well done from an old 30 year career FF now retired.

Hey y'all Pennsylvania Wildlands firefighter here also type 2 wardens hand crew I'm a rookie haven't seen fire yet but next year I get to see a big wildfire I can't wait to see what everyone is talking about an take the next step to my successful life then being a drunk an on hard drugs I really want this future an career to show myself it's possible to change an become something more greater then addict or drunk I get tears in my eyes everyday watching theses videos bc I see how happy an the connection of get to know others an experience the life an to know your a hardcore Wildlands firefighter I seen myself trying pushing an fighting my wildfire to get to where I need to be on the front lines of an actual wildfire an have a awesome career an take this job to the heavens an grave with me an to show my dad an mom they have a successful son out of all 9 kids that stuck in the game an street life path when I'm a firefighter

Great video. watched it a few times. Land management. Leadership. Humility. Support. Cheers.

It's definitely not for everyone! Thank you for all the hard work! Stay safe

15th season done for myself. Always good to see how much safety is out in on this real life footage of us fighting nonstop. I’m not at a level as you guys in u.s. but I’m up in Canada and we always do our best to the safest way possible. Sad year for us in b.c. Canada. Lost some brothers and sisters out there in the job we do. Always stay safe, look up is always something to never forget. Peace out. Warrior 09 kfs.

I started as a casual firefighter on a type 2 IA crew with the us forest service left in June on my first fire from Jun to Oct I was home probably about 5 days . I come home and went straight to a back to back seasonal position. I ended full time for around 7 years as a fire dozer operator

Awesome video. This was just incredible.

I did 2 fire seasons in 69 & 70 with the El Cariso Hot Shots. Found out about the Hot Shots from. my dad. He did 1 season out of Missoula in 43 He then lied about age and joined the Navy in 44

The wild fires are made much larger and out of control because everything is so dry. There isn't enough moisture in the soil, there isn't enough moisture in the vegetation. One thing we need to do is move water from the ocean back inland to places we need it. The natural water cycle can't refill aquifers that were filled thousands of years ago by melting glaciers after the last ice age. Big problems need big solutions. The biggest idea I am trying to express is tunneling aqueducts from the coast, in this case the west coast of the USA inland to feed combination geothermal power and sea water desalination plants. The idea seems to be so big that no one has considered it possible but I believe it is not only possible but it is necessary. For over a century the fossil water contained in aquifers has been pumped out to feed agriculture, industry and municipal water needs. The natural water cycle cant refill fossil water deposits that were filled 10,000 years ago when the glaciers melted after the last ice age. Without refilling these aquifers there is not much of a future for the region of the United states. As a result ground levels in some areas of the San Joaquin Valley have subsided by more than 30 feet. Similar fossil water depletion is happening in other regions all around the world. TBM and tunneling technology has matured and further developments in the industry are poised to speed up the tunneling process and it's these tunnels that are the only way to move large volumes of water from the ocean inland. The water is moved inland to areas where it can be desalinated in geothermal plants producing clean water and power. In many cases the water will recharge surface reservoirs where it will be used first to make more hydro power before being released into rivers and canal systems. It's very important however to not stop tunneling at these first stops but to continue several legs until the water has traveled from the ocean under mountain ranges to interior states. Along the way water will flow down grade through tunnels and rise in geothermal loops to fill mountain top pumped hydro batteries several times before eventually recharging several major aquifers. What I am proposing is essentially reversing the flow of the Colorado River Compact. Bringing water from the coast of California first to mountaintop reservoirs then to the deserts of Nevada and Arizona and on to Utah, New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming. This big idea looks past any individual city or states problems and looks at the whole and by using first principles identifies the actual problem and only solution. Thank you for your time, I would like the opportunity to explain in further detail and answer any questions. A better future is possible,

Nothing better than doing a good back light! Can make a difference !

Man, it looks like this work sucks...I can't wait to start!

Super crazy hard work.

I miss this

What is amazing , is the Smoke Jumpers in Alaska just jump from the sky into the forest. Now why this is amazing is they appear to not have any guns or rifles. Yet, there are thousands of Wild Grizzly Bears in the forest. I hope none of the Smoke Jumpers ever jump next to a Grizzly Bear with he cubs. Sadly this will turn very fatal and very fast. Plus Wld wolfs and Mountain Lions. These wild animals may not realize these Smoke Jumper Fire Fighters are trying to save their homes.

Beautiful

I love this type of work not type 1 but hopefully later down the road

No matter what job title you have while fighting fire, it’s all difficult (except helitak) everyone works hard each day, this is why I love fighting fire. You cannot explain the feeling of it or the excitement of it except for, when you were younger and you got that toy or object you wanted for forever. Keep rockin those lines and keep drippin your torches

These guys sure do a lot of walking around lightin stuff on fire

When these massive forest fires started, ground crews weren't paid very well and were classified as "unskilled labor". As the fires continued fire fighters and others put a lot of pressure on Congress and classified as skilled labor, with a big increase in pay. Many prisoners with good records were also recruited to go out, and none ever attempted to escape.

At 17:45 when he talks about the public complaining when they take a strategic and safe approach to a fire if I was one of them I’d invite that person to come fill thier boots 14 hour days for 14 days straight with 2 days off if you’re lucky get bent bud

Katie, You lady are a BAD-ass and a good leader. Bravo girl... May GOD bless and keep YOU! Does going to the restroom create a problem for you??? I do not mean to be crass. If my question comes across like that, I apologize if that is out of line. I know women can do almost anything. But voiding their bladder is one of those things. And you all have all that gear to deal with.. Stay safe and thank you ALL....!!!!!!!

7:36 some of the best conversations you’ll ever have

I just joined a wildland fire crew. This summer will be my first season with them. I hope to be a hotshot one day, but idk, im already 32. Is that too old? Either way i cant wait

once you leave it you miss it

how does the schedule work is it a year? or is treated like deployments/part time

is there an age limit for hotshot crews or did they remove that?

Any recommendations for getting into wildland firefighting? This is something I've been considering for awhile. Just not sure where to start.

From Russia with love

scratch the surface of todays news...you will find true heroes

Hotshot trauma bonding

"Skilled Labor" 07 from a hiker.

These idiots making comments about you ALL sitting & taking a break should shut-up and spend a shift doing this job. Damn know-it-ALLS. Those people are everywhere anymore.... My hat is OFF to you all. Stay safe and keep up the good fight!!! Thanks.

Just recently got my wildland classes done and would love to make it a career and be a smoke jumper if anyone can get me going would love to get info on how to get going

Need to get paid a lot more

These fires NEED to burn on a regular basis. The more they are put out, the worse they will get.

🫡 🚒 👨🏽‍🚒

😢 My poor ears!

I loved wildland until I ended up on the worst engine in Arizona as far as I'm concerned. Straight killed it for me...