Hand Crews
A hand crew consists of 18-22 crewmembers and performs a variety of operations on wildland and prescribed fires. Hand crew duties primarily include constructing firelines with hand tools and chainsaws, burning out areas using drip torches and other firing devices, mop-up, and rehabilitating burned areas. Follow the links for additional information on the specific crews.
Interagency Hotshot Crews
An interagency hotshot crew consists of 18-22 specially trained firefighters that provide an organized, mobile, and skilled workforce for all phases of wildland fire management. Crew members complete many hours of training, adhere to high physical standards, and can take on the most difficult assignments. Although a hotshot crew’s main goal is wildland fire management, they also support all-risk missions, such as hurricane support.
The Bureau of Land Management has 13 interagency hotshot crews:
- Arivaipa Hotshots in Sierra Vista, Arizona
- Bonneville Hotshots in Salt Lake City, Utah
- Chena and Midnight Sun Hotshots in Fairbanks, Alaska
- Craig Hotshots in Craig, Colorado
- Diamond Mountain Hotshots in Susanville, California
- Jackson Hotshots in Jackson, Mississippi
- Kern Valley Hotshots in Bakersfield, California
- Lakeview Hotshots in Klamath Falls, Oregon
- Ruby Mountain Hotshots in Elko, Nevada
- Silver State Hotshots in Carson City, Nevada
- Snake River Hotshots in Pocatello, Idaho
- Vale Hotshots in Vale, Oregon
The Aravaipa and Lakeview Hotshot crews consist primarily of military veterans.
More information is available in the Standards for Interagency Hotshot Crew Operations.
We Are BLM Fire - Hotshot Crews
Veterans Crews
A veteran crew is used for a variety of operations on a wildland fire. Primary duties consist of constructing firelines with hand tools and chainsaws, burning out areas using drip torches and other firing devices, mop-up, and rehabilitating burned areas.
BLM veteran crews provide job and career avenues for military veterans, allowing them to find post-military careers that provide a sense of serving and working within a team setting.
The Bureau of Land Management has veteran hand crews stationed across the western states:
- Arivaipa Hotshots in Sierra Vista, Arizona
- Billings Hand Crew located in Billings, Montana
- Devil’s Canyon Hand Crew in Worland, Wyoming
- Folsom Lake Hand Crew stationed near Folsom, California
- Lakeview Hotshots in Klamath Falls, Oregon
- Medford Hand Crew in Medford, Oregon
- Spokane Hand Crew in Spokane, Washington
- Vegas Valley Hand Crew located in Las Vegas, Nevada
More information is available in the Standards for Veterans Crew Operations.
We Are BLM Fire - Veterans Crews
Other Hand Crews
The Bureau of Land Management also hosts the Unaweep Wildland Fire Module in Grand Junction, Colorado and the North Star Fire Crew in Fairbanks, Alaska.
