The Hotshot Wake Up – Details, episodes & analysis

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• Chief Moore has strong words for the Feds regarding the increased cost of living and falling behind on inflation costs. Updates the rent rebates.

• He says there is hypocrisy in the system as BLM firefighters are getting cost of living increases, but FS employees living in the same building are not.

• Forest Service has a massive hole in their budget… nearing 3\4 of a billion dollars.

• Cal Fire arrests another arsonist after starting the Thompson Fire, which burned up 13 homes and evacuated thousands.

• The DOJ sued An excavator company in California because their machines hit a rock, and sparks started a fire. This will set a very consequential precedent.

• Full operational update: it’s snowing in California!

• Plus more.

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• Balloons are once again flying over Idaho fires. I cover why they are there and what they are doing.

• An arsonist started another fire in Grass Valley, California. They were released from jail just hours before.

• How to get hired on a Hotshot Crew. I answer the questions people have been asking.

• Overhead vehicle burned on the Limepoint Fire in Idaho. Leave your keys in the truck.

• A Canadian territory is completely cut off after a wildfire burns up the railroad connecting it to the rest of Canada.

• There is a small lull in wildfire activity; no… wildfire season is not over.

• Full operational update.

• 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.

On Today's Show: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/

Dr. Amber Ortega is an air quality meteorologist, wildland fire smoke specialist, and atmospheric chemist with nearly two decades of experience researching, forecasting, and managing smoke. She serves as the Regional Smoke Coordinator at both the Rocky Mountain and Pacific Northwest & Alaska Forest Service Regional Offices. Driven by a desire to bridge the gap between researchers, regulators, and field operations, Amber aims to enhance fire personnel support, improve smoke fluency, and facilitate harmonious relationships with fire practitioners, air quality, and public health agencies. She's an Air Resource Advisor, aka Smoke Specialists that are dispatched to incidents to support Incident Command Teams with smoke concerns.

Previously, she was the Duty Officer for the Smoke Monitoring Program at the Rocky Mountain National Fire Cache, part of the Interagency Wildland Fire Air Quality Response Program. She served as a prescribed fire smoke manager and air quality meteorologist for the State of Colorado. Prior to civil service, as a Department of Energy Office of Science Fellow, she investigated the intersection of fire, weather, and air quality, focusing on smoke emissions from deferring fuel types and their interactions with the environment.

Her research spans ground- and aircraft-based smoke measurements across notable locations, including USDA Missoula Fire Sciences Lab and Manitou Experimental Forest Observatory, UC-Berkeley Blodgett Forest Research Station, NASA Airborne Science DC-8 Laboratory, and US Naval Research Laboratory Scientific Development Squadron. She holds an MS/BS in Meteorology (Penn State), a Ph.D. in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences with a Specialization in Analytical Chemistry (CU-Boulder), and a PostDoc in Chemical Engineering (Uni Arizona), earning her the apropos title "Dr. Smoke."

A fantastic conversation.

On this week’s Weekly Wildfire Update:

• Alaska Pops Off. Multiple new starts, Teams ordered. Southwest Still Busy with new starts.
• Heat Wave Coming... Next week is expected to be a wild one.
• Chief Moore Testifies. Promises payments by months end. Who gets them?
• Breakdown of the Hearing. So many topics covered.
• Plus Much More...

THE HOTSHOT WAKE UP - If you enjoy the content and want to help contribute to firefighters donations for those in need consider a monthly Subscription. https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/

On this week’s Weekly Wildfire Update:

• Full Operational Update. Alaska, Southwest, Colorado, California. What’s happening at NUIFC?
• Three Hotshots Injured on the Calf Canyon Fire. One severely. What happened and what do we know?
• New Developments on the Raises, What's Known? The NFFE speaks up, but is it hypocritical? The Bureau of Land Management delays this weeks Pay meeting but gives reasons why.
• and Much More.

THE HOTSHOT WAKE UP - If you enjoy the content and want to help contribute to firefighters donations for those in need consider a monthly Subscription. https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/

On this week’s Weekly Wildfire Update:

• Alaska Starts. Multiple new fires up North. Colorado sees more frequent IA’s. The Southwest continues to burn.
• Firefighter Revives Baby Elk, Hotshots saving horses, and more animal rescue stories.
• Massive Seed Nursery Evacuated. Millions of seed and seedlings moved in a frantic rush.
• Mandatory GPS Tracking for Firefighters. A new poll conducted. What to policy makers want.
• Plus More.

THE HOTSHOT WAKE UP - If you enjoy the content and want to help contribute to firefighters donations for those in need consider a monthly Subscription. https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/

On This Weekly Wildfire Update:

• Full Operational Update - We update fires in  Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Michigan, New Hampshire and more.
• A Helicopter Manager Reported Missing Found Deceased... What we know. What we don’t know.
• New Study Shows Nearly Half U.S. Homes at Wildfire Risk... Legit? We discuss this study, it’s flaws, and why it matters.
• Raise Questions. I answer the questions people have had on this raise meeting and what is known and not known.
• Plus More.

THE HOTSHOT WAKE UP - Thank you to all of our paid subscribers. It allows us to generously donate to firefighter charities and supports all the content we provide. If you enjoy the content consider subscribing. https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/

This Week’s Weekly Wildfire Update:

• Full Operational Update: The Cali Coastal Fire , Southwest still rips, and Canada sees increase in fire activity.
• Michigan firefighter charged with wildfire arson.
• NPR Talks Firefighter Wages. Marketplace does a segment about the fight for better wages.
• Congress Takes Action. Letter written to the Forest Service about fast tracking wages, Portal to Portal, and more.
• A tree strikes a Hotshot on the Calf Canyon fire. We talk about the incident.
• I get blocked by the Forest Service Northwest. Hilarious.
• Plus more.

THE HOTSHOT WAKE UP - Thank you to all of our paid subscribers. It allows us to generously donate to firefighter charities and supports all the content we provide. https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/

On this week’s show:

• Full Operational Update. We cover everything in AZ, NM, Colorado, and Texas.
• National Emergency Declared for New Mexico. President Biden declares Federal funds to New Mexico. What does this include.
• Forest Service Chief Testifies. Lots of questions answered, many left alone.
• Huge Study on Firefighter Heart Issues. American Heart Association finished a study on abnormal heart rhythms in firefighters.
• Colorado Sees Record Year Coming. $20 Million extra funding given to combat this.
• Plus More.

Subscribe monthly to our Substack to support this content and support firefighter donations.

On this week's show:

• Full Operational Update of Current Fires. Cooks Peak, Hermits Peak, Tunnel, Crooks, Nebraska, and Colorado fires.
• New Executive Order a Missed Opportunity. We talk about what the EO is and how it missed on a few levels.
• Canada Retention Issues. Canada’s fire unions pleading with policy makers for help. Policy makers turn a blind eye.
• The Scooper Fleet. Canada has dedicated cash to update their existing fleet.
• Oregon Battles DC. Their cooperative agreement expires in 2024 and they can’t agree on the rules.
• Congress Doesn't Get It. No one is taking responsibility for the issues we have.

THE HOTSHOT WAKE UP - We are 100% listener and reader supported through our Substack. All Paid subscriptions to our Substack go towards firefighter donations. https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/