<![CDATA[The Hotshot Wake Up]]>https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.comhttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!AJZz!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7a093baa-33a3-47fa-a88c-da5d1dd7ca6a_1280x1280.pngThe Hotshot Wake Uphttps://thehotshotwakeup.substack.comSubstackThu, 15 Oct 2026 05:21:47 GMT<![CDATA[If Wildfire Is Not A National Security Issue, What Is It? It Just Remains Another Low Priority Budget, Agency, And Workforce.]]>https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/p/if-wildfire-is-not-a-national-securityhttps://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/p/if-wildfire-is-not-a-national-securityTue, 13 Oct 2026 04:08:30 GMTA workout, a steak, and a glass of Malbec… time for a chat.

Today was filled with engaging, passionate conversations, and several common themes emerged. But before we dive into the minutiae of how far behind we are, and why… where are we right now?

Bear with me as I purposefully sensationalize what we are not supposed to sensationalize.

This year, we have seen 9,016,136 acres burned across the United States with nearly 64,000 fires. This is 145% above the 10 year average, and the trends don’t look good. Spokane burned down after a troubled individual lit a fire, having studied fire weather forecasts, inflicting maximum destruction that honestly amounts to domestic terrorism… this designation matters, and I will return to it.

Thousands of structures were destroyed nationwide; that’s a national security issue.

Share

Colorado, Utah, Washington, and Oregon each lost hundreds of homes this summer; we lost more wildland firefighters than is ever acceptable, the Palisades hasn’t rebuilt, and neither has Lahaina. Our nation should be embarrassed by this, but it’s been normalized and deemed acceptable in a society that satiates itself on social media “feed” that successfully stripped all nutrition out of our national pride.

Reno, Nevada, was threatened by wildfires more than 3 times this year. If this devastation were caused by anything other than wildfire, it would be a true National emergency; not just given political lip service, it would be declared a national security issue, and money would be thrown at it faster than you can achieve a contact high at Burning Man.

Our forests are in bad shape. We are decades behind on landscape “maintenance”; conditions on the ground are critical, and the damage a malice filled, driven individual can do with a butane torch is extensive. This is real, and it came up multiple times today. “Dude, you and I could cause utter chaos in the WUI if we wanted to.”

This wasn't a threatening conversation; it was candid recognition of the potential destruction people motivated to harm our landscapes, economy, and way of life can cause. Talk to Spokane; that’s a national security issue. What happens when ill intentioned individuals with resources and a motive decide to capitalize on our nation’s drought, fuel loading, and decades of poor forest management?

Spokane

Again…, bear with me as I purposefully sensationalize what we are not supposed to sensationalize. All of this matters when you talk about what’s holding us back from addressing the continued and growing wildfire issue: budgets and a national willingness to take it seriously.

If you want Congress and the public to take it seriously, we need to normalize expressing that the current wildfire enviroment is a national security issue, and it is. I get it, it’s not a ticking time bomb in New York or the Hamptons, but it is a ticking time bomb in our national forests and national parks. But this messaging goes against the current wildfire culture… make do with what we have, accept the budgets we get, and tell everyone we can handle what comes our way.

The wildfire agencies have spent somewhere in the range of $5.2B on suppresion so far this season. Is that a lot? Well, that’s more than the annual average, but in a brave new world of trillion dollar corporate valuations and infinite spending on national security initiatives, it’s peanuts. Take Space Force, for example. The Agency has a workforce comparable to the wildfire workforce, a defined national security mission, and a budget of nearly $72B.

Subscribe now

Yes, they are likely protecting us from a reptilian alien invasion, defending against space based weapon systems, launching satellites into low Earth orbit, and protecting our national sovereignty. But we need to normalize asking for more in the wildfire world for national security purposes, as wildfire detection, progression, and post-fire satellites are needed, landscapes demand protection against potential catastrophic threats, and our workforce defends their sleeping bags against a reptilian invasion while they sleep in the dirt.

What we need and what is being proposed for the future of wildfire will cost more than a few billion; many don’t want to admit that, but that’s the reality. The current wildfire situation is a national security issue, so we need to treat it like such. We need comparable benefits for the wildland workforce, a VA for wildland firefighters, or a system that supports the growing number of cancers and long-term health issues… including suicidal ideation and substance abuse. We need to support moving costs, long term training programs, and family development and support systems.

On the tech side, what is being proposed will require a massive national infrastructure project unless the military lets wildfire piggyback off its systems. You want resource tracking, AI models running mapping and progression, a consolidated national database for dispatching, resource management, tracking outcomes, acres burned, managing mesh networks of UAVs, blimps, and autonomous ground vehicles… You will need data infrastructure.

And unless you insist it’s for national security, take a number and wait behind everyone else queued up for GPU clusters, megawatts, and compute. Your private sector peers vying for that same infrastructure have trillions of dollars in CapEx just waiting to be deployed… a lot more than what is available for our land management agencies.

I make a point about normalizing wildfire as a national security issue because about 90% of what is being discussed or proposed for the future of wildfire, someone in the room says, “the military has had that for a decade.”

One of the greatest strengths our military and wildfire workforce share is the ability to make do with what they have in the field. But military leadership unabashedly asks for ungodly amounts of money because their mission is national security. I don’t blame current wildfire leadership for not having the budgets they truly need. They're taking what they learned from their careers in the field and “making do” with what Congress gives them.

Running a wildfire agency in today’s enviroment has to be one of the most thankless and difficult jobs in government today. “Protect our nation’s greatest assets, do it with basically no money, manage a workforce that doesn’t have long-term support, dozens of your employees will die annually, and now stand in front of Congress and explain why you didn’t do better.”

It’s ridiculous and would be laughable if the consequences weren't so dire. It boils down to convincing Congress to make it a priority and actually do something. And I say that after listening to a Congressman today say, “We don’t do much in Congress.”

I appreciate the honesty, but they also insisted they would pass a military appropriations bill for national security reasons. My point exactly. I am not calling for the militarization of wildfire; I am calling for normalizing asking for more, for national security purposes. It’s not just the wildfire season-to-season battle; it’s the massive backlog and catch up that’s needed to get our landscapes back to a manageable state. 10M acres a year need to be treated over the next 10 years to level the playing field.

Overall conditions aren't improving either. As of last month, the nation's largest reservoir, Lake Mead, was just 26% full. The nation’s second largest reservoir, Lake Powell, sits at 21% full, and in the Southwest, reservoirs sit at 49% full compared to 53% this time last year. If you ask me, that’s a national security issue.

Yes, Great Falls and Helena, Montana, set record snowfall this week, and rain continues to pour across the greater United States. However, the predicted super El Niño brings with it a few things. Less precipitation in the PNW, warmer winter temps, and ultimately more fuel growth in the spring. The trend we saw this year will likely continue.

It’s ok to admit the agencies don’t have what they need; in fact, it’s necessary. But since it’s truly a national security issue, it’s no longer ok for Congress to ignore the ticking time bomb inside our own borders.

Everything costs more now, including protecting our national treasures. It’s time to accept that, and demand more.

Subscribe now

THE HOTSHOT WAKE UP — Thank you to all of our paid subscribers. Your support allows us to donate generously to firefighter charities and supports all of our content. You also receive all of our article archives, more podcast episodes, Monday morning workouts, and also entered into our giveaways, plus more.

Share

INSTAGRAM PAGE LINK

TWITTER PAGE

]]><![CDATA[Wildfire Tech Meets Wildfire Operators: The Wildfire Technology Summit With Chief Mark Niemeyer. ]]>https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/p/wildfire-tech-meets-wildfire-operatorshttps://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/p/wildfire-tech-meets-wildfire-operatorsSat, 10 Oct 2026 18:21:30 GMTOn Today’s Show:

Subscribe now

The Wildfire Technology Summit takes place next week in Salt Lake City, Utah, where wildfire leaders, operational subject matter experts, and technology companies will come together to discuss capabilities, systems, and requirements in the wildfire space.

It is not a traditional tech trade show, but a 4 day event to bring leaders from all across the wildfire and tech spaces to directly engage around real world operational needs, share ideas, and meaningful ways their technologies can be implemented into wildfire response, pre fire mitigation, post fire work, and more.

I welcome Chief Mark Niemeyer, CEO of the Western Fire Chiefs Association, who is helping to facilitate this summit. This is a 4 Phase process, with Phases 1 and 2 already completed. Phase 3 is this Summit, and Phase 4 will be for procurement. We will discuss the progress made so far, what’s next, and how to successfully provide tools for the operators on the ground to protect our landscapes, communities, and themselves.

Subscribe now

THE HOTSHOT WAKE UP — Thank you to all of our paid subscribers. Your support allows us to donate generously to firefighter charities and supports all of our content. You also receive all of our article archives, more podcast episodes, Monday morning workouts, and also entered into our giveaways, plus more.

Share

INSTAGRAM PAGE LINK

TWITTER PAGE

]]><![CDATA[A Conversation With Former Hotshot Superintendent, And Chair Of The Alliance Of Retired Forest Service Fire Leaders, Dan Kleinman. ]]>https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/p/a-conversation-with-former-hotshothttps://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/p/a-conversation-with-former-hotshotMon, 05 Oct 2026 22:53:30 GMTOn today’s show:

Subscribe now

A few weeks ago, a letter went out to wildfire agency heads from the Alliance of Retired Forest Service Fire Leaders, advocating for the unification of our nation's wildland firefighters. That letter can be found here.

I reached out, and the Alliance Chair, Dan Kleinman, agreed to a conversation about the Alliance’s efforts. Dan has extensive wildfire leadership experience, rivaled by few.

Dan Kleinman retired after 40 years in the wildland fire service, including service as a detailed Deputy Regional Fire Director for the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), Pacific Southwest Region, and as an Operations Section Chief with the National Incident Management Organization (NIMO). He began his career with the California Division of Forestry, serving one season before spending the remainder of his career with the U.S. Forest Service.

His field and leadership experience included positions as a Firefighter and Module Leader on engine and fuels crews, 12 years on a Hotshot crew including seven years as Superintendent - five years as a Battalion Chief, and five years as a Division Chief on a wildfire-active Ranger District.

Throughout his career, Kleinman remained actively engaged in fuels management, including thinning projects and prescribed fire. He maintained prescribed-fire qualifications throughout his career and, for his final 20 years, served as a qualified Prescribed Fire Burn Boss Type 1.

Kleinman’s regional and national working-group experience included service on the Regional Safety FIRST Committee and the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) Leadership Committee, where he chaired L-580, a leadership-development program designed for senior fire-management and organizational leaders. In 2009, L-580 delivered the first Gettysburg Staff Ride for Wildland Fire Service leaders, a program that continues to be delivered today.

Notable assignments included the crash of a top-secret F-117 Stealth Fighter and associated wildfire; the Columbia Space Shuttle recovery and investigation; the response to the Pentagon following the September 11 attacks; and the Hurricane Sandy response in New York City’s Rockaways, where he managed a welfare-check operation across multiple public apartment buildings.

At the time of his retirement, Kleinman’s incident qualifications included Incident Commander Types 1, 2, and 3; Operations Section Chief Type 1; Operations Branch Director; Division/Group Supervisor; and Agency Representative.

Kleinman remains active with two nonprofit organizations: the U.S. Hotshots Association and the Greenhorn Mountain Veterans Association. He has been married for 39 years and is the father of three adult children.

Subscribe now

THE HOTSHOT WAKE UP — Thank you to all of our paid subscribers. Your support allows us to donate generously to firefighter charities and supports all of our content. You also receive all of our article archives, more podcast episodes, Monday morning workouts, and also entered into our giveaways, plus more.

Share

INSTAGRAM PAGE LINK

TWITTER PAGE

]]><![CDATA[New California Law Gives Inmates Hiring Priority In Cal Fire. 5th Teen Arrested In Connection To The Chelan Hills Fire. New Wildfire Heavy Metals Study. ]]>https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/p/new-california-law-gives-inmateshttps://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/p/new-california-law-gives-inmatesTue, 29 Sep 2026 19:18:47 GMTOn Today’s Show:

Subscribe now

  • An update on the Dome Fire and the crash retrieval process.

  • New California law passes, giving inmates with fire experience priority hiring benefits for Cal Fire. The law passed after hiring quotas were removed.

  • A 5th teen has been arrested in connection with the Chelan Hills Fire in Washington. The fire killed one civilian and injured 6 firefighters.

  • A new heavy metals toxicity study of 1,400 Maui residents shows high concentrations of certain metals after the Lahaina wildfire.

  • Washington is asking for a federal disaster declaration after $188M in damages to homes from this summer’s wildfires.

  • Three wildfire medical report updates. Ropes extraction, facial fractures from a gated Wye, and “Operation Bear Bait.”

    Share

THE HOTSHOT WAKE UP — Thank you to all of our paid subscribers. Your support allows us to donate generously to firefighter charities and supports all of our content. You also receive all of our article archives, more podcast episodes, Monday morning workouts, and also entered into our giveaways, plus more.

Subscribe now

INSTAGRAM PAGE LINK

TWITTER PAGE

Read more

]]><![CDATA[A Wildfire Season Debrief: Director Of The United States Wildland Fire Service, Chief Brian Fennessy.]]>https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/p/a-wildfire-season-debrief-directorhttps://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/p/a-wildfire-season-debrief-directorFri, 25 Sep 2026 19:41:50 GMTOn Today’s Show:

Subscribe now

The Director of the Wildland Fire Service, Chief Brian Fennessy, started in his inaugural position just 9 months ago, but there is plenty to talk about. We chat about the busy wildfire season, the workforce, and what lies ahead.

We dive into budgets, unification, aviation, contracting, the differences between wildfire agency organizational structures, and the most capable and operationally sound wildfire workforce in the world: the wildland firefighters in the United States. What went well? What can be improved? What does the future of wildfire in the United States look like?

We cover it all.

Share

THE HOTSHOT WAKE UP — Thank you to all of our paid subscribers. Your support allows us to donate generously to firefighter charities and supports all of our content. You also receive all of our article archives, more podcast episodes, Monday morning workouts, and also entered into our giveaways, plus more.

Subscribe now

INSTAGRAM PAGE LINK

TWITTER PAGE

]]><![CDATA[The Alliance Of Forest Service Retired Fire Leaders Sends Letter To USDA And DOI To Advocate For A Unified National Wildfire Service. ]]>https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/p/the-alliance-of-forest-service-retiredhttps://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/p/the-alliance-of-forest-service-retiredThu, 24 Sep 2026 21:03:43 GMTYesterday, the Alliance of Forest Service Retired Fire Leaders sent a letter to USDA Secretary Rollins, DOI Secretary Burgum, DHS Secretary Mullin, and OMB Director Vought. It was also sent to the Congressional Chairs of subcommittees that oversee policy and appropriations for the wildfire agencies.

The letter first calls for immediately centralizing and…

Read more

]]><![CDATA[Agency Update On The Aviation Fatalities On The Dome Fire. Defense Company Anduril Wins Wildfire XPrize. Rainmaker Raises $100M To Cloud Seed Across The American West To Slow Wildfires. ]]>https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/p/agency-update-on-the-aviation-fatalitieshttps://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/p/agency-update-on-the-aviation-fatalitiesWed, 23 Sep 2026 19:51:26 GMTOn Today’s Show:

Subscribe now

  • Update on the aviation fatalities on the Dome Fire in California: full operational update.

  • Forest Service update: They have waved the pay cap, solidifies prescribed fire hazard pay, and updates its wildfire mental health support system.

  • Wildfire XPrize announced their winners this morning. The top prize goes to defense AI company Anduril for their completely autonomous camera, sensor, drone network that successfully suppressed a wildfire.

  • With snowpack and drought an ongoing concern across America, the cloud seeding company Rainmaker announced it raised $100M to grow and expand. They say they will use the funds to “reduce wildfires, Terraform Earth, and solve weather.”

  • Teen charged with homicide in connection to Oregon wildfire.

  • Canadian wildfire sensor companies are acquiring U.S. based wildfire companies.

  • Plus more.

    Share

THE HOTSHOT WAKE UP — Thank you to all of our paid subscribers. Your support allows us to donate generously to firefighter charities and supports all of our content. You also receive all of our article archives, more podcast episodes, Monday morning workouts, and also entered into our giveaways, plus more.

Share

INSTAGRAM PAGE LINK

TWITTER PAGE

]]><![CDATA[An Ironic Aftertaste: Wildfire Week Comes To An End In D.C. After An Unexpected Event. So... What’s Next?]]>https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/p/an-ironic-aftertaste-wildfire-weekhttps://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/p/an-ironic-aftertaste-wildfire-weekSat, 19 Sep 2026 22:08:12 GMTThis week, there was a gathering in Washington, D.C., for the Western and Wildfire Caucuses to discuss wildfire across the United States. In the many emails and invites I received, it was relayed that it probably wouldn't be that exciting and was likely not worth the flight.

Noted.

It should have been a massive blitz of media about how challenging, yet s…

Read more

]]><![CDATA[Senators Demand Answers From The Wildfire Agencies As Entrapments And Fatalities Rise. What’s Missing? Asking How They Can Help.]]>https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/p/senators-demand-answers-from-thehttps://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/p/senators-demand-answers-from-theSat, 12 Sep 2026 19:49:04 GMTAt this point, it seems another letter is being sent every week to wildfire agencies, asking them to answer a list of questions about personnel, budgets, severity, and tours of duty. This newest letter was sent two days ago, giving the agencies 10 days to respond. Senators Bennet, Padilla, Wyden, Schiff, and Hickenlooper sent the letter.

The letter come…

Read more

]]><![CDATA[“The System Is Broken.” Frustrations Inside The Forest Service Boil Over As Fire Supervisors Express Fundamental Concerns. ]]>https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/p/the-system-is-broken-frustrationshttps://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/p/the-system-is-broken-frustrationsThu, 10 Sep 2026 19:07:05 GMTOn Today’s Show:

Subscribe now

Frustrations have boiled over within the Forest Service as fire supervisors voice concerns about Agency direction, poor facilities, experienced firefighters leaving the ranks, and infighting with line officers.

Wildland firefighter entrapments have hit a 20 year record this season, raising further concern about experience levels in middle management. Unease remains about what the future will look like, and there is urgency to “rip the band-aid off” on plans for Agency change. I cover their concerns as they see it.

This is the time for professionals on all levels of the Agency to come together and solve these issues, which ultimately affect the boots on the ground the most. Sometimes voicing these concerns is what it takes for everyone to sit at the table and figure out how to move forward.

Change isn't simple, and this isn't an easy situation for anyone involved, but cooler heads must prevail.

Share

THE HOTSHOT WAKE UP — Thank you to all of our paid subscribers. Your support allows us to donate generously to firefighter charities and supports all of our content. You also receive all of our article archives, more podcast episodes, Monday morning workouts, and also entered into our giveaways, plus more.

Subscribe now

INSTAGRAM PAGE LINK

TWITTER PAGE

]]><![CDATA[The Politicization Of Wildfire: A Rant. Just Four Wildfires Have Cost Nearly $500M. Wildfire Fatality On The Hawk Fire In Nevada. UTV Rollover Ejection. ]]>https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/p/the-politicization-of-wildfire-ahttps://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/p/the-politicization-of-wildfire-aFri, 28 Aug 2026 19:03:25 GMTOn Today’s Show:

Subscribe now

  • Putting out wildfires is hard enough, but the constant tit for tat political grandstanding is wearing on the workforce. I express what I’ve been hearing from the boots on the ground. A classic rant.

  • The Hawk Fire in Nevada announced a fatality this morning. A woman who sustained injuries during the initial day of the fire has passed away.

  • The Nation remains at a PL5, and we are one lightning bust away from all out chaos again. Full operational update.

  • BC wildfire says civilians are stealing their equipment used to protect homes. Alberta wildfire charged over the death of a wildland firefighter on the Jasper Fire.

  • UTV rollover report. Passenger ejected at 30MPH.

  • Plus more.

    Share

THE HOTSHOT WAKE UP — Thank you to all of our paid subscribers. Your support allows us to donate generously to firefighter charities and supports all of our content. You also receive all of our article archives, more podcast episodes, Monday morning workouts, and also entered into our giveaways, plus more.

Subscribe now

INSTAGRAM PAGE LINK

TWITTER PAGE

]]><![CDATA[Forest Service Investigators Enlist The Help Of The ATF After Improvised Explosive And Incendiary Devices Found In The Carson National Forest Of New Mexico.]]>https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/p/forest-service-investigators-enlisthttps://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/p/forest-service-investigators-enlistSat, 22 Aug 2026 21:42:13 GMTThis week, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives put out a press release after multiple improvised explosive and incendiary devices were discovered in the Carson National Forest in New Mexico. Multiple suspected destructive devices were recovered near the Tres Piedras Ranger Station in Tres Piedras.

While we have seen other crazy storie…

Read more

]]><![CDATA[Shelter In Place Order Given On The Frijoles Fire In New Mexico After Armed Individuals Attempted To Enter Fire Camp.]]>https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/p/shelter-in-place-ordered-given-onhttps://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/p/shelter-in-place-ordered-given-onSat, 22 Aug 2026 16:57:21 GMTI received a few messages this morning about an incident that occurred at the Frijoles Fire in New Mexico’s Santa Fe National Forest last night. These individuals said they had been given a shelter in place order after armed individuals attempted to enter the fire camp.

I contacted the fire and the forest; they have released this statement:

The Santa Fe …

Read more

]]><![CDATA[Shots Fired: Residents Shoot At Wildfire UAS In Washington. Forest Service Files To Rescind Roadless Rule. “Hello?” Missoula Dispatch Coms Go Down. ]]>https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/p/shots-fired-residents-shoot-at-wildfirehttps://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/p/shots-fired-residents-shoot-at-wildfireFri, 21 Aug 2026 18:58:57 GMTOn Today’s Show:

Subscribe now

  • Red Flags are forecast into the weekend across the PNW, Northern California, Idaho, and Montana. Full operational update.

  • UAS operators attached to a wildfire in Washington report that locals fired on their equipment while they conducted damage assessments for FEMA wildfire relief. They then suspended all operations.

  • The USDA announced that the Forest Service has filed a rule to rescind the Roadless Area Rule to better manage wildfire risk across forested landscapes.

  • How dry is it? A report from Idaho on a wildfire starting while helitack was attaching a Bambi bucket to a helicopter, after a landing light sparked the grass underneath.

  • Full report on the Tender rollover in Oregon on the Fox Fire leading to an air med flight.

  • Missoula, Montana dispatch lost all landline functionality during IA response this week. The issue is ongoing.

  • Multiple people arrested in Canada on arson charges after a string of wildfires in British Columbia.

  • Plus more.

    Share

THE HOTSHOT WAKE UP — Thank you to all of our paid subscribers. Your support allows us to donate generously to firefighter charities and supports all of our content. You also receive all of our article archives, more podcast episodes, Monday morning workouts, and also entered into our giveaways, plus more.

Subscribe now

INSTAGRAM PAGE LINK

TWITTER PAGE

Read more

]]><![CDATA[Major Progress Across Wildfires Nationwide. Ranchers V.S. Firefighters: Misunderstanding Or Something More? Hazmat Concerns After F-18 Crash Starts Wildfire. ]]>https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/p/major-progress-across-wildfires-nationwidehttps://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/p/major-progress-across-wildfires-nationwideMon, 17 Aug 2026 23:09:53 GMTOn Today’s Show:

Subscribe now

  • Major progress is being made on wildfires nationwide. 7.3M acres have been burned year to date, with nearly 50,000 starts.

  • Full operational update.

  • Full report on the Pine Tree Fire, where an F-18 crashed and started a fire in Washington. The report covers the dangerous hazmat conditions involved, which led to recommendations that all wildland firefighters seek medical attention and dispose of all their gear.

  • Reports have surfaced of conflicts between ranchers and wildland firefighters over firing operations on a few fires out West. The latest on the Byrne Fire in Idaho. Ranchers have been concerned about grazing grounds being burned; firefighters and managers have been concerned about unsafe actions and threats.

  • Should we allow betting on wildfires? Senators take action against wildfire betting markets.

  • Plus more.

    Share

THE HOTSHOT WAKE UP — Thank you to all of our paid subscribers. Your support allows us to donate generously to firefighter charities and supports all of our content. You also receive all of our article archives, more podcast episodes, Monday morning workouts, and also entered into our giveaways, plus more.

Subscribe now

INSTAGRAM PAGE LINK

TWITTER PAGE

Read more

]]><![CDATA[Fatality On The July Lighting Complex Outside Ely, Minnesota, After Medical Emergency. ]]>https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/p/wildland-firefighter-fatality-onhttps://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/p/wildland-firefighter-fatality-onWed, 12 Aug 2026 00:51:48 GMTThis afternoon, Eastern Area CIMT Team 1 and the Superior National Forest put out the following statement after a medical emergency was declared on the July Lightning Fire Complex outside Ely, Minnesota.

The Eastern Area Complex Incident Management Team, under the command of the Superior National Forest and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources …

Read more

]]><![CDATA[Big Move: Forest Service Consolidates National Wildfire And Aviation Authorities Under Its Deputy Chief For Fire And Aviation Management.]]>https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/p/big-move-forest-service-consolidateshttps://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/p/big-move-forest-service-consolidatesTue, 11 Aug 2026 21:04:13 GMTToday, Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz announced the consolidation of wildfire and aviation authorities under the Deputy Chief for Fire and Aviation Management, a position currently held by Sarah Fisher.

Share

“Effective Aug. 11, 2026, pursuant to the President’s Executive Order 14308, Secretary Memorandum 1078-017, and the creation of the Deputy Chief – Fir…

Read more

]]><![CDATA[Congress Holds A Bipartisan Meeting On Wildfires Across The West. What Happens In Those Meetings, Is Progress Being Made, Will We Have Wildfire Amnesia Again?]]>https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/p/congress-holds-a-bipartisan-meetinghttps://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/p/congress-holds-a-bipartisan-meetingMon, 10 Aug 2026 16:24:53 GMTOn Today’s Show:

Subscribe now

I sat down with Montana Senator Tim Sheehy to discuss the current wildfire situation across the American West. Congress recently held a bipartisan meeting to talk about the fires burning in multiple regions, the devastation in Spokane, Washington, and the need for wildland firefighter support.

I ask if this season will be a reckoning for the wildfire system, Congress, and the public, with the amount of fire currently on the ground and the tragic loss so far this year. What happens in these congressional wildfire meetings? Why does it always seem like things are delayed, or remain unchanged?

What can be done to better support the boots on the ground, and will we have wildfire amnesia again once the season comes to a close? The Senator addresses all these questions, and more. As you know, Senator Sheehy didn’t hold back.

Share

THE HOTSHOT WAKE UP — Thank you to all of our paid subscribers. Your support allows us to donate generously to firefighter charities and supports all of our content. You also receive all of our article archives, more podcast episodes, Monday morning workouts, and also entered into our giveaways, plus more.

Subscribe now

INSTAGRAM PAGE LINK

TWITTER PAGE

]]><![CDATA[This Fire Season Has Been A Challenge: Dozer Burned Over On The Wrights Spring Fire In Oregon, Claiming 47-Year-Old Jason Ensign's Life. ]]>https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/p/this-fire-season-has-been-a-challengehttps://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/p/this-fire-season-has-been-a-challengeSat, 08 Aug 2026 01:58:57 GMTThe Klamath County Sheriff's Office put out a statement this evening regarding the Dozer burnover fatality that took place last night on the Wrights Spring Fire in Oregon. The fire exploded in activity yesterday and overran 47-year-old Jason Ensign's position while building fireline with his D-6 dozer.

An encroaching weather event yesterday quickly incre…

Read more

]]><![CDATA[Sikorsky Helicopter Working The Widemouth 2 Fire In Utah Crashes This Morning. ]]>https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/p/sikorsky-helicopter-working-the-widemouthhttps://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/p/sikorsky-helicopter-working-the-widemouthFri, 07 Aug 2026 20:41:53 GMTThis afternoon, officials on the Widemouth 2 Fire in Utah confirmed that a helicopter working the fire crashed near Richfield this morning.

The FAA confirmed the helicopter was a Sikorsky that crashed around 10:00 a.m. There were two souls on board.

The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board have been called in and will investigate, with the NTSB …

Read more

]]>