The Hotshot Wake Up

01:00:58

A Wildfire Season Debrief: Director Of The United...

The Hotshot Wake Up ·

2026/09/25

On Today’s Show: To Support and Subscribe: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/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

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00:41:15

“The System Is Broken.” Frustrations Inside The...

The Hotshot Wake Up ·

2026/09/10

On Today’s Show: To Support And Subscribe: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/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

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00:51:13

The Politicization Of Wildfire: A Rant. Just Four...

The Hotshot Wake Up ·

2026/08/28

On Today’s Show: To Support And Subscribe https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/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

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00:30:49

Congress Holds A Bipartisan Meeting On Wildfires...

The Hotshot Wake Up ·

2026/08/10

On Today’s Show: To Support And Subscribe: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/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

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00:58:20

USWFS Director, Chief Brian Fennessy: Unification,...

The Hotshot Wake Up ·

2026/08/07

On Today’s Show: To Support And Subscribe: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/Today I welcome the Director of the United States Wildland Fire Service, Chief Brian Fennessy. As we all know, it’s been very busy up until this point, and there is lots to cover. We discuss the unification of the Department of the Interior wildland firefighters and what that looks like moving forward. Who will do the landscape work? Do we have enough firefighters and resources? We have a conversation about initial

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00:58:16

Great Basin Goes PL5. Line Medic Saves Life Of...

The Hotshot Wake Up ·

2026/08/06

On Today’s Show: To Support And Subscribe: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/The Great Basin moves to a PL5, and the Widemouth 2 Fire nears 100K acres. Full National wildfire update.A report about a line medic who made unconventional decisions that led to life-saving measures for a wildland firefighter in Idaho. Reports on the Coleman Creek entrapment in Oregon, the dozer burnover on the Kaiser Canyon Fire in Washington, the Dozer rollover on the Gann Fire in California, and the tender rollover

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01:04:55

Environmental Lawsuits Halted 10s Of Thousands Of...

The Hotshot Wake Up ·

2026/08/01

On Today’s Show: To Support And Subscribe: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/Full report released for the Lyons Ferry Fire burnover. Comprehensive report details firefighters trying to burn off around themselves before being overtaken by fire.Tens of thousands of acres of fuels treatment and wildfire mitigation projects were halted in Oregon due to environmental lawsuits. Groups sued Mt. Hood National Forest and the Forest Service, which stopped the fuel breaks and fuel reduction projects. Those

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01:14:16

The Eyes In The Sky Above Wildfires: Air Attack And...

The Hotshot Wake Up ·

2026/07/24

On Today’s Show: To Support And Subscribe: 👇https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/Today, Jon Freeman (USWFS) and Matt Lynde (USFS) join the show to discuss everything about wildfire aviation supervision and coordination, and, if you are interested, how to become one. This is a big-picture job, and as they describe, the best job in the industry. As an aviation supervisor, you are basically a flying radio, or 7 radios… and it is a position that takes mental fortitude and operational clarity to keep

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00:47:09

Ontario Armageddon, Minnesota Mayhem, And The...

The Hotshot Wake Up ·

2026/07/16

On Today’s Show: To support and subscribe: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/Three wildfires have crossed the international border of Canada and Minnesota, and hundreds of thousands of acres have burned. 183 new starts across Ontario are expected to burn for weeks. Wildfire smoke will blanket the eastern United States as poor air quality records are already being set. More Minnesota fires merge as firefighters work to access the wilderness fires. Colorado, Utah, Oregon, and California are still

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00:56:55

New Fires In PNW And California As Southern...

The Hotshot Wake Up ·

2026/07/11

On Today’s Show: To Support And Subscribe: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/New wildfires are popping up in the Pacific Northwest and California. Southern California moves to a Preparedness Level 3. A lot of progress is being made on wildfires across Colorado, Utah, and the Southwest as containment rises.Containment drops on the Gold Mountain Fire in Colorado as a civilian drone shuts down air resources while trying to catch spot fires. 12 fatalities, 8 injuries, and 36 missing on wildfires in

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00:47:01

Full Operational Update For Wildfires Across The...

The Hotshot Wake Up ·

2026/07/02

On Today’s Show: To Support And Subscribe: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/A full operational update of all fires across the nation. Colorado fires expect extreme fire behavior again today. Red flag conditions continue across much of the Region. Progress is being made on most of the fires across Utah and the Southwest. A breakdown of year-to-date wildfire numbers in Utah compared to last year. Less fire, more acres. New Mexico reports the warmest start to a year ever on record. The

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00:47:47

Colorado Declares A State Of Emergency: Nation Moves...

The Hotshot Wake Up ·

2026/06/29

On Today’s Show: To Support And Subscribe https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/Colorado has declared a State of Emergency due to the wildfires actively burning across the State.The National Preparedness Level moves to 4. Updates from the USWFS and Forest Service on the burnover event on the Knowles Fire. Wildfires continue to make large runs across Utah. The Pocket Fire in Arizona increases to over 11,000 acres. A conversation about current wildfire conditions on the ground. Plus more. THE HOTSHOT

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00:50:53

Today, The Forest Service And USWFS Announce New...

The Hotshot Wake Up ·

2026/06/24

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

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00:49:12

Nation Moves To A PL3: Human Remains Found After...

The Hotshot Wake Up ·

2026/06/18

On Today’s Show: To support and subscribe: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/The Hotshot Wake Up is 100% supported by the readers and listeners. Thank you. The National Preparedness Level increases to a PL3Wildfire bust across much of the West. Full operational update.Human remains found after the Upriver Fire in Spokane. Sheriff reports individuals refused to evacuate. Incendiary devices were found by Forest Service firefighters on a Colorado Fire. Also in Colorado, a helicopter lands after a

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00:42:44

Forest Service To Offer Early Resignation Incentives...

The Hotshot Wake Up ·

2026/06/10

On Today’s Show: 100% listener and reader supported. To Subscribe: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/Full operational update. New fires in Colorado, Utah, California, and the Southwest.The Forest Service has reinstated early retirement incentives as part of the reorganization plan. Both VERA and VSIP options are being offered.High level operators from the Forest Service have started to accept positions in the United States Wildland Fire Service leadership. What are the long term effects if

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01:10:48

The Wildfire Contracting World: Starting A Company,...

The Hotshot Wake Up ·

2026/05/21

On Today’s Show: To Support And Subscribe: 👉https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/Today, I talk to Derrick Holdstock, owner and operator of Western Fire Resources. Derrick has been very proactive in the contracting and wildfire world, recently returning from a trip to D.C.Before he started Western Fire Resources, Derrick was a wildlife biologist who practiced prescribed fire and later served as the Regional Fire Coordinator for West Texas, covering one third of the state. He also worked as a

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00:48:37

The Sandy Fire Is An Early Season Wake Up For...

The Hotshot Wake Up ·

2026/05/19

On Today’s Show: To Support and Subscribe 👉https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/The Sandy Fire in California is an early season wake up for the State. Urban interface fires will only increase, and fuel mitigation is a major step that residents and the state need to take seriously.A conversation about the harsh reality of the changing conditions, the wildland urban interface, and the pre-fire work that needs to be done. The consequences of doing nothing are greater than people realize. Full

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00:58:27

Instead Of Telling Wildland Firefighters To "Make It...

The Hotshot Wake Up ·

2026/05/03

On Today’s Show: To Subscribe and Support:👉 https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/Full operational update. Hotshot crews are still having issues securing the vehicles they need to operate at the level they are being asked to. Reports of dozens of Type 3 Engines that remain unstaffed. Canada cancels $106M wildfire satellite contract with American company. Trade war actions leaking into wildfire?Wildfire aviation fuel costs are on the rise, and concerns from wildfire CEO’s about a shortage. A rant

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01:01:44

USDA Submits 2026 Wildfire Directives And Seasonal...

The Hotshot Wake Up ·

2026/04/30

On Today’s Show: To Support And Subscribe 👉https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/Full wildfire updateFires in Georgia, Florida, New Mexico, and MontanaUSDA Secretary Rollins provides the 2026 wildfire secretarial memo. It covers priorities for the 2026 fire season and directives for the Forest Service moving forward. I go over the priorities, including initial attack, surge capacity, secondary fire positions, fuels work, prescribed fire, and more. Senators sent a letter this week to the USDA

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00:47:05

Party Balloon Starts Wildfire That Burned Down 120+...

The Hotshot Wake Up ·

2026/04/25

On today’s show: To Support And Subscribe: 👉https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/Full operational update of all wildfires. The causes of the Georgia wildfires have been announced: the Highway 82 fire was caused by a birthday balloon, and the other by someone welding.There was a firefighter who died after responding to a Florida fire. Updates from Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, and the Southwest fires. Definitely keep an eye on the Hummingbird Fire in the Gila Wilderness, and an interesting fire

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