On Today’s Show: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ I spoke with the folks from NFFE Wildfire about The Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act, where it is in the process, their trip to D.C. next week, and everything else they have been working on. Thanks to Max Alonzo, Andy Vanderheuel, and Steve Gutierrez for the great conversation abou…

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 F…

On Today’s Show: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ Back in February, multiple wildfires were started in the Valparaiso region of Chile. These fires killed 137 people and were the second deadliest fires this century. 2 individuals’ homes have been raided, and were arrested after an investigation found a firefighter and a forest supervisor maste…

On Today's Show: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ I have a wide-ranging conversation with the Executive Director of the United Aerial Firefighters Association, Paul Petersen. The UAFA represents the Aerial Wildland Fire Industry (Airtankers, Scoopers, Helicopters, Retardant, and aviation support) to Local, State, Federal agencies and Congress…

On Today’s Show: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ I have a conversation with Dani Shedden, the woman behind Close The Gap Wellness. Dani is a Licensed Professional Counselor, a Nationally Certified Counselor, and a wildland firefighter who started her counseling career with one goal in mind: to help people find balance and manage their mental…

On Today’s Show: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ Canada sees multiple holdover fires rekindle. Multiple communities evacuated as the fires jumped rivers and highways. An estimated 500k acres burned this week. The Southwest starts bringing in IMTs to fires. The Toyo Fire in Arizona prompts a CIMT order with multiple Hotshot crews. Region 3 st…

On today’s show: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ Outside Magazine pushes a year-round and nationwide campfire ban as a “symbolic” way to stop human-caused starts. Should we ban campfires nationwide? Don’t Forests already have restriction policies in place? Power lines, railroads, vehicles, and large debris burns cause more fires than camp fi…

On today’s show: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ Operational update. A longtime and beloved firefighter in Montana dies during a pack test. A shock to the Montana firefighting community. Canada calls in their National Security Investigation Team after pipeline explosion causes wildlife in Alberta. Past cyber attacks have shown vulnerability …

On Today’s Show: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ Two years after the Hermits Peak\Calf Canyon Fire, the FEMA director in charge of the $4 Billion in relief funds has resigned. The HPCC Fire, caused by 2 separate Forest Service prescribed burns, became the largest, most expensive, and most destructive fire in history. Lawyers for the communit…

On Today’s Show: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ Subscribe now After a mayday call went out on the Oklahoma fire yesterday, we learned this morning that 2 firefighters were burned. The fire started as a “controlled burn” before 55MPH winds caused it to blow up. Colorado learns that Red Flag days now mean your power gets shut off. What’s the …

On Today’s Show: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ Full Operational Update. Virginia and West Virginia order multiple Teams. Multiple Complexes established. Governor puts out an emergency response. Southern Area at PL3. Washington State scraps its Wildfire Risk Maps. Says their unreliable and need to be redone. However, defensible space requir…

On Today’s Show: To Subscribe: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ The Eldorado Fire was started by a gender reveal party in California. This week the couple involved was charged in the death of a Big Bear Hotshot squadie. Charlie Morton was working the Eldorado Fire when the fire overran his position. A look at the upcoming Spring fire season. …

On today’s show: {to subscribe:} https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ Wildfires in Chile claim the lives of 64 people. Thousands are out of their homes, and hundreds are still missing. Four fires started “simultaneously,” according to the President of Chile and Governor of Valparaiso. “Possibly coordinated,” and an investigation is underway. I al…

On Today’s Show: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ The story of the Beachie Creek Fire in Oregon. Multiple lawsuits on how the fire was handled by the Forest and $1B demanded from the power company. MIST tactics V.S. full suppression. Safety V.S. engaging. What’s the cost in the end? PG&E come to a settlement on the Dixie Fire trial. Did PG&E …

On today’s show: To Subscribe: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ The FBI and DOJ indict two wildfire contract companies for bid rigging wildfire contracts. Wiretaps led to evidence of collusion, territorial monopolies, and running the competition out of business. The shady world of wildfire contracts. I cover the story of three Hotshots runnin…

To Subscribe: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/On today’s show: Tim Sheehy, founder and CEO of Bridger Aerospace, joins me to discuss the current state of wildland fire, firefighter compensation, the bureaucratic struggles with policy and contracts, and his new book, Mudslingers. Tim takes us through his journey from a Navy Seal to building Br…

On today’s show: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ We discuss the slowly reemerging policy of “put everything out” that has crept back into both the political realm and the tech side of the wildfire industry. A policy that clearly didn’t work. We talk about the importance of bringing operational and field-capable people into these discussions …

To subscribe: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ On Today’s show, I welcome Contra Costa County Fire Captain and Tablet Command Co-founder Andy Bozzo. We discuss the evolving tech coming to the Wildfire industry and the importance of integrating it with the “old ways” and the expected hurdles along the way. There is always a place and a time fo…

On Today’s show: To Subscribe: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ I welcome the Director and Producer of Hotshot Movie Gabriel Mann. Gabriel recently attended the Red Sky Summit in California and describes the vibe and vision these companies have for the wildfire industry. Our conversation hopes to bring clarity to the public about what the nee…

On Today’s Show: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ I lay out the case for hazard pay on Prescribed fire. It could actually save money, increase retention, and, one could argue, make the RX environment more safe. In the last few weeks, there have been major and severe injuries on prescribed burns around the Nation. I cover the fatalities that h…

Episode: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ Today, I welcome Bill Harsey, known worldwide for his award-winning knife designs for both special forces and the common man. Bill is a fourth-generation logger whose family moved to Oregon to make their way during the Great Depression. We also discuss his work in the Bull Run watershed, where a large…

On Today’s Show, https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ I have on Doug Cote to discuss the record-breaking wildfire season in Canada. Doug has a long and extensive wildfire career, including smoke jumping in the Yukon, and now his career is focused on prescribed fire and aerial ignition work in the Northern Boreal forests and working with Indigenou…

On today’s show: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ I welcome Kelly Martin to discuss the new Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission’s report to Congress, everything happening with the workforce, legislation, and beneficial fire. The Presidential Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission was established in 2022. Kelly was o…

Today, https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ We discuss solutions to combat depression and relationship struggles, communication tips for both families and first responders, and ways to transition back to home life successfully. We also have a conversation about the very different struggles women and men have when working in this industry and for …

On Today’s Show: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ After the Wildfire Commission Report, Wildfire Tech Companies started calling for a “new workforce.” What does that mean, and is it needed? With 3 years of horrible retention and recruitment, why the shift now? AI wildfire data companies say our forests only have 10 years until they go away. O…

Mack takes Hugh to get a gooseneck installed in his truck bed before installing his gooseneck in Hugh's backside. Jason, the shop owner, joins in for a lovely spitroast.By Peter Schutes

On Today’s show: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ I am happy to have Mental Health Counselor and Educator Dani Shedden. We discuss the process of reintegrating back into the “real world” after a wildfire season, bad habits to recognize, and solutions for first responders who are struggling. We also talk about the family side of things and wha…

Deckard offers Hugh a much better place to stay than the crummy boarding house. The arrangement works out for their mutual pleasure and satisfaction. Hugh's hole is open for business.By Peter Schutes

On Today’s Show: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ Prescribed burns are being rushed and crews shutting down early heading into a potential Government Shutdown. Congress members make a last stand to try and pass the wildland firefighter pay legislation. Original investors in Tesla, SpaceX, and SolarCity provide funding for AI autonomous helico…

Hugh crosses a line when he services a thick Texan in the truck stop restroom. He makes up with Hugh, but discovers he is still powerless over his addiction to giving head.By Peter Schutes

On Today’s Show: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ Full operation update. Fires start to wind down around the nation. Canada continues to be active. I cover the multiple tree strikes that recently happened in the Pacific Northwest on wildfires. One firefighter was struck in the head, and another was struck while escaping the falling tree, stri…

Deckard keeps Hugh wide open as practice. They drop their load in Altoona, then head for Cincinnati, stopping for a steamy hot shower on the way.By Peter Schutes

On Today’s Show: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ Firefighters with NFFE sit down for a roundtable conversation about the Paycheck Protection Act. We discuss the upcoming vote, how to support it, and what’s in it. They were very honest and open about the next steps involved, what comes after getting this passed, and the future of the Tim Hart…

Hugh learns the ropes from his trainer, Deckard Cox. After they drop off a couple of loads, Deckard reveals his huge secret and learns of Hugh's tiny problem. Then he drops off an even bigger load in Hugh.By Peter Schutes

On Today’s Show: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ Jason Forthofer joins us to talk about what’s happening at the Missoula Fire Sciences Lab in Montana. Jason is an Engineer, Researcher, and wildland firefighter with robust on-the-ground and operational experience. We dive into new tools and tech coming out of the Fire Lab, how AI can be used …

Hugh Jayness loves truck stops. It's not just the food or the clean showers - he loves to satisfy the burly men who inhabit the world of trucking. It's an obsession. He answers an ad for a new kind of trucker, the hotshot, who owns their own regular-sized pickup truck and uses it for short hauls. As we'll see in this story, there's nothing regular-…

On Today’s Show: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ While investigating a wildfire in California, authorities find a body. This leads to multiple murder charges and reveals a web of crimes that led to a large wildfire. FEMA says they have run out of money. Demands more money as they cut off past relief to wildfire victims. They blame wildfires …

Jack "Snake" Elgin is a savvy businessman with a monster of a problem. He finds the solution in the bathhouses of the San Fernando Valley. When he catches employees at his automobile lube shop having an orgy, he decides to teach them a valuable lesson.By Peter Schutes

On Today’s Show: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ I cover the story of The Elkhorn Fire. This fire started on July 24th in Idaho and was an incredible incident. A story of deployment sites, point protection, fast thinking, evacuating rafters, and overcoming adversity. This is a fascinating story of stress and success in an unforgiving environ…

Jeffrey has a morbid fear of flying. A chance encounter with one of his porn heroes, the French-Canadian Ashe D'Estende, leads to the best sex of his life. The tiny bathroom can hardly contain the massive superstar and his appendage. There's really only one way that Jeffrey can fit in there with him! The mind-blowing encounter might just cure him o…

On Todays Show: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ Full operational update. The town of Medical Lake in Washington is devastated. Up to 184 homes were lost. 1 fatality was reported. Paradise Montana evacuated, River Road East Fire jumps the Clark Fork River. Lahaina, Maui update. We cover the newly released report of the Hotshot Buggy that flip…

Meet Taryn Rearden, a man with a colossal endowment and a passion for watching the bodybuilders of Venice Beach. We discovered an error in Peter's tale - in the middle, he dropped the third-person narration (he lowered his pants) and inadvertently used the first-person (I lowered my pants). This quasi-Freudian slip tells us much about Peter's uniqu…

On Today’s Show: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ The mass amount of ridiculous claims surfacing on the Lahaina fires in Maui, Hawaii, have taken over the internet. I got through these and destroy them. I discuss what the likely cause is and how the events unfolded. The Lahaina Fire is now the most deadly and devastating wildfire in United St…

On Today’s Show: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ Full operational update. Very busy around the nation. Southwest moves to a Preparedness Level 4. New fires in the PNW and Northern Rockies. Texas and Colorado looking to be busy. What is it like raising a family while a wildland firefighter? One Smokejumper and Hotshot’s story. The challenges …

NOTE: AFTER THIS LITTLE RAUNCHY SHORT STORY, WE'RE TAKING A TWO WEEK HIATUS BEFORE BEGINNING THE NEXT NOVEL. STAY TUNED! Peter wrote many short stories. We frequently uncover a new one while leafing through his higgledy-piggledy pile of papers. "Steroid Steve" is a big/small story told in first person autobiographical mode. It's fiction, so any res…

On Today’s Show: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ Oregon and Washington both have major incidents currently. The Newell Road fire went 30,000+ acres in 24 hours. Montana and Idaho became active this week. Colt, Hayden, Bowles, and other fire updates. Arizona and New Mexico still have numerous lightning fires. When Monsoons? Lockheed Martin de…

The two lovers depart for Poseidonia. The captain of their ship is a skilled sailor... in more ways than one. The two lovers reach the shores of Italy; their adventure is over, but their life together has just begun.By Peter Schutes

On Today's Show: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ The wildfire season in the United States is here. Oregon, California, and Idaho pop. The Flat Fire will be the first campaign fire in the West. Full operational update. Insurers in Florida pull out due to extreme weather and wildfires. As predicted… The Oregon wildfire dilemma. The Wildfire ri…

With the King vanquished and Democracy in full swing, the lovers say farewell to Demetrius. Lippos welcomes them both inside, where they are wet and warm.By Peter Schutes

The royal guard captures the four fugitives at the behest of King Amyntor. From the dungeon, Lippos outmaneuvers his stepfather for the throne, with the help of Hercules and his limitless strength.By Peter Schutes