2017 fire season: Cascade Initial Attack Handcrew

Today I am embedding a video from the Cascade Initial Attack Handcrew where they highlight their 2017 fire season. I don't exactly know where this Handcrew is based, perhaps they are based in the Pacific Northwest. Before you watch this video, I thought that you might want to read a brief summary of what handcrews do:

Handcrews are the infantry of wildland firefighting forces. Crews of 18 - 20 men and women use hand tools such as pulaskis and shovels to cut containment lines into the soil around a fire. Handcrews eliminate hotspots, so new fires won't start, and monitor unburned areas to make sure sparks don't jump the line and start new fires. Handcrews also work to reduce fire risks by removing flammable vegetation from wildland areas. These firefighters are in excellent physical condition. They may spend 12 hours or more working on the fire perimeter. A typical work day for a handcrew is filled with dirt, smoke, heat, and cold (obtained from USFS Fire and Aviation, Firefighters on the Ground on February 9, 2018)

Allow under nine minutes to watch the video. You will see some footage of helicopters working wildfires. Beautiful country!


Direct link to video on Youtube