Spotfire!

We interviewed Echo Cunningham (they/them), a Fire Specialist with the U.S. Wildland Fire Service / Alaska Fire Service, a cat parent, and passionate birder. Echo has attended two of FUSEE’s wildland firefighter retreats, and served as a peer leader at a retreat in January.

This Father’s Day, we honor all the dads who work in wildland fire. We interviewed Maxwell Hale, a Squad Leader of Redmond Hotshots, a Tribal citizen of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, and a father of three children: a 9 year old boy, 6 year old girl, and a 4 year old boy. Max has attended two of FUSEE’s wildland firefighter retreats, most recently in the fall as a firefighter leader.

Incendiary Imbeciles #10

Private inholdings surrounded by public land wilderness have dubious origins; usually because they originate from dubious mining claims. Some private backcountry ranches provide access through their landing-strip meadows. When allowed to fly in here, wildland workers can conduct public purposes such as enhancing ecosystems.

Public comment by FUSEE Board Member, Rich Fairbanks:

“I strongly support the Office of Personnel Management’s proposed rule to establish Hazardous Duty Pay (HDP) and Environmental Differential Pay (EDP) at a 25 percent rate for federal employees performing prescribed wildland fire activities. As someone who spent years on the fireline as a General Schedule seasonal firefighter conducting controlled burns, I can attest firsthand that this rulemaking is long overdue.

This week is Mental Health Awareness Week (May 11–17), and the 2026 theme is Action.

We can think of no better illustration of wellness in action than what we've witnessed over the past year across three wildland firefighter wellness retreats held at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Wellspring Spa, and Great Vow Zen Monastery.

This Mother’s Day, we honor all the moms who work in wildland fire, whether they work in fire or left fire because of their role as a mother.

We interviewed Dani Shedden, a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC) mental health counselor and owner of Close the Gap Wellness with a background as a wildland firefighter with the BLM and USFS and education in Fire Ecology.

In a field long defined by grit, endurance, and tradition, Sue Husari has spent nearly five decades helping shape what wildland fire can be, both on the fireline and within the culture surrounding it.

Sue’s career began in 1975, when she took a summer job in fire while in college. What started as a practical decision quickly became a calling. She stayed for the people, for the purpose, and for the deep connection to land that fire work demands.

When people think about firefighter safety, they usually imagine the obvious dangers such as flames, falling trees, aircraft accidents, or thick smoke. But many of the most serious threats to wildland firefighters are far less visible. Firefighters already face enormous physical and mental stress from long seasons, low wages, time away from family, and exposure to traumatic scenes. On top of that, research is revealing a disturbing truth: the gear they wear and the food they eat on the job may also be exposing them to toxic chemicals linked to cancer and other serious illnesses.

This white paper provides recommendations around Tribal sovereignty and environmental justice that we hope will be useful to organizations and individuals as they comment on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Northwest Forest Plan (NWFP) amendment. We hope that these suggestions reach a diversity of organizations and individuals with divergent visions of federal land management.