Long Duration Events

Because of their proximity to the Bob Marshall and Great Bear Wilderness Areas - and Glacier National Park - the Flathead Hotshot Crew has been able to respond to the changing uses for Type 1 National Shared Resources. The knowledge and experience gained because of their location was put to use in 1998 late in the season during the Challenge Fire. The 10,000-acre fire was burning in rugged country on the Flathead National Forest and Glacier National Park. Grizzly bears were observed around the fire camp area and on the fire. The presence of grizzlies, along with the special Minimum Impact Suppression Tactics (MIST) required in Glacier Park, made it necessary to apply basic backcountry principles. These aren't often needed on incidents, but are common to the Flathead Crew.

As early as the 1988 fire season, the crew had some wilderness assignments in the Bob Marshall Wilderness and Glacier National Park. In early August, the Flathead and one other crew spent three weeks in the "Bob" confining a 30,000-acre fire (Gates Park) within the wilderness boundaries. Shortly after that, because of their experience conducting prescribed burns in the North Fork of the Flathead, the crew was assigned as a firing team on the Red Bench Fire in Glacier National Park and the Flathead National Forest.



With the changing uses for Type 1 Crews becoming more and more evident, the Flathead Hotshot Crew has been modifying their crew training - and even the crew structure - to meet the new challenges. The crew now consists of a Superintendent (GS-9), one Assistant Superintendent (GS-8), three squad leaders (GS-7), three senior firefighters (GS-5), and 12 firefighters at the GS-4 level. This structure enables the crew to break down into six 3-person modules with six Type 4 Incident Commanders for use in initial attack if necessary. They also can operate with the standard three squads or two independent 10-person modules with two Type 3 IC's for larger "transitional" fires. Of course, there is always the ability to function in the traditional manner as a full 20-person hotshot crew.

As National Fire Policy changes, the National Shared Resource program of Type I Hotshot Crews is going to also change. It will be important to be able to adapt to these changing needs, and to be flexible enough to fall back into a more traditional role when that demand occurs. The Flathead Hotshot Crew will continue to prepare for a variety of assignments, from prescribed fire in the Southern U.S. (as in the spring of 2009), hurricane assistance in Texas in 2005 to Type 3 wildland fires in the backcountry of the Northern Rockies. We are always ready for new challenges.