The Hotshot Wake Up

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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.
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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.
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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.
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.

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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.

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.

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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.

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.