The Hotshot Wake Up

On Today’s Show: To support and subscribe: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service, along with the Department of the Interior, today announced new steps to reduce hazardous exposure for federal wildland firefighters. These actions include expanded access to N95 respirators on the fireline, required training, and standardized decontamination protocols, such as showers and Nomex cleaning.There is also direction on reducing exposure to extended periods of mop-up. I welcome Erin Phelps, Deputy Director of Risk Management with the Forest Service, to discuss everything in the release. Erin is no stranger to the fireline, working on engines, Hotshot crews, and as a rappeller before taking a more direct role in policy and management. There is a lot to cover, and plenty of questions. Deputy Director Phelps helps answer those questions and provides all the details on what it will look like moving forward. The Hotshot Wake Up is 100% listener and reader supported. No ads, no sponsorships. Thank You.

On Today's Show: To support and subscribe 👇https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/It’s one year after the deadly Palisades Fire. What have we learned from this horrible event, and more importantly, what can we do to prevent it from happening again?It’s clear that major mistakes were made, some long before the fire even started. It’s never been more important to let the operators on the ground operate, without having their hands tied by bad policy and poor decisions.What needs to change? Will we see that change?Also, nearly all Western states saw record-breaking temperatures in December, setting the stage for a very receptive fire environment this spring. 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.

On Today’s Show: To Support And Subscribe: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/Today, Sam Davis, CEO of Bridger Aerospace, joins the show to talk about the 2025 wildfire season, the expansion of the company into Spain, what Bridger has planned for the future, and more.Sam joined the company in 2019 and took the helm after founder Sen. Tim Sheehy stepped down to run for U.S. Senate.We also get into the future of wildfire tech, the new United States Wildland Fire Service, dealing with rising drone incursions, and where wildfire aviation is going as a whole.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.

On Today’s Show: To Support And Subscribe 👇https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/Montana had a near record slow wildfire season, but it was one of their most expensive. Why? The Windy Rock Fire played a big role, a Team Fire in a wilderness study area that cost $56M in initial reports. Environmental groups in the State are questioning forest management, suppression, prescribed fire, and project costs, saying new studies show the forests are not as overgrown and unhealthy as reported, but also have concerns about wildfire smoke. Thanks to the Daily Montanan for the shoutout on my reporting. During a mobile attack in Texas, a crew member broke their arm while operating the hose from inside the cab. Full report. A very detailed report came out on the double leg fracture and subsequent rescue operation that took place in Montana during a wildfire jump operation. A full breakdown of that report. Operational update. 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.

On Today’s Show: To Support and Subscribe 👇https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/The Senate Committee on Aging held a hearing today in California to let residents testify on their experiences before, during, and after the Palisades fire. The hearing was conducted by Senator Scott of Florida and Senator Johnson of Wisconsin. Multiple people spoke about the day their homes were lost and what they believe led to the issues they had before and after the fire, including the lack of fuel reduction, prescribed burning, water issues, the response, rebuild permit fees up to $100,000, and insurance policies being canceled. One witness was a 94-year-old woman who survived three concentration camps, and said her home was lost, and now her family is unable to rebuild. So much covered in this meeting, which I break down. 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.