Wildland Fire Community Resources: Organizations, Podcasts, Wellness, and Charities
There are lots of other great resources about wildland fire out there. Here are my recommendations.
Advocacy
Grassroots Wildland Firefighters
They support the mental, physical, and financial wellbeing of Federal wildland firefighters through advocacy and legislation. Amazing group on the front lines of getting us better pay and benefits through policy reform.
They are my go to for information on what is currently in the works in Congress regarding wildland firefighter pay, classification, benefits, and the push for all federal wildland firefighters to become a National Wildland Fire Service. Instead of our current situation where we work for different federal agencies (US Forest Service, BLM, NPS, BIA, etc).
Podcasts
The Hotshot Wakeup
Podcast and Substack newsletter covering news about wildfires, fire tech, and wildfire policy by former hotshot overhead and crew supervisor. Love him or love to hate him, Tim Casperson is influential and really stays on top of getting info out about fire season predictions and the chaotic policy changes we are currently experiencing. Also you will see pictures of new starts on his stories that firefighters send him before you’ll know about these fires through official channels. He has an huge following.
The Anchor Point Podcast
Aims to build a better community by providing a platform to share the stories of wildland firefighters, highlight career opportunities, spread awareness of fire prevention, educate the public, and “bump” the message of our struggles and achievements with mental health and other challenges that we face - both off and on duty. Doesn’t seem to have a lot of new episodes coming out, but a huge back catalog of episodes dating back to 2019.
Life With Fire Podcast
A podcast exploring the critical role that fire plays in our forests, lands, and communities. Great podcast hosted by wildfire writer and former hotshot Amanda Monthei
Wildland Firefighting Health, Fitness, and Nutrition
Hotshot Wellness
Hotshot Wellness was founded in 2021 by current and former federal hotshot wildland firefighters who recognized the escalating challenges faced by wildland firefighters as fire seasons grow longer and more severe.
Insufficient federal support has contributed to rising mental health struggles, higher risks of cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses, and troubling rates of suicide and suicidal ideation.
They are committed to supporting their health and well-being through health-focused advocacy, targeted education, impactful programs, and scholarships designed to provide meaningful support.
They complied interactive maps to connect you with health and wellness professionals who understand the unique challenges you face—whether they specialize in mental health, performance, nutrition, physical recovery, or have firsthand experience as wildland firefighters, first responders, or veterans.
You can also watch a full replay of their 2025 Wildland Fire Virtual Wellness Summit
Mountain Tactical Institute
Offers fitness training plans specifically tailored to the demands of wildland firefighting. They have pre-season programs and subscriptions for training during the season
Frontier Performance Nutrition
JJ Shelley was a former marine and wildland firefighter and current dog musher who offers individual and group fitness and sleep coaching for unique and demanding lifestyles. He has two free resources on his website to help with calorie calculating and a better sleep guide.
Wildland Fire Job Postings and Career Info
@careersinwildlandfire
Once job announcements start coming out in late summer/ early fall this is a great resource for finding federal job postings as well as getting pay info as a current wildland firefighter
@hotshotbrewery
Craft coffee and merch brand that posts general wildfire/ firefighting info and they also post firefighter trainings and job announcements in their stories
Charities
The Wildland Firefighter Foundation
The Wildland Firefighter Foundation is the original organization to provide help to the families of those wildland firefighters who have lost their lives or are injured in the line of duty. On average 10 firefighters die each year while working.
The Foundation came together as a group of volunteers in 1994, shortly after the Storm King tragedy. With dedication and lots of volunteer work, plans were developed for a national monument to honor firefighters, a dream that was realized in May 2000. The Wildland Firefighter Foundation was officially formed in the spring of 1999. Board members realized that there was a great need to have emergency support services for the families of fallen firefighters.
Active volunteers and supporters of wildland firefighters established the Wildland Firefighter Foundation, a 501(c)3 to maintain the Wildland Firefighters National Monument at the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) in Boise, Idaho.
Since 1999, the Foundation has also provided emergency support services to the families of firefighters, seriously injured or killed in the line of duty. Families left behind, many with young children, often find themselves with few resources, and the Foundation steps in to help.
Additionally the focus of the Wildland Firefighter Foundation Mental Health Program is to promote the mental health and overall wellbeing of wildland firefighters and to address the unique mental health challenges they face, while providing confidential and immediate care to those in need.
Well worth a visit if you are in the Boise, Idaho, area. They have a huge memorial room with pictures of all fallen firefighters and one with crew shirts going back decades. It’s a really powerful place.
Granite Mountain IHC at the Yarnell Hill Fire. Photo credit: Eric Marsh Foundation Website
Eric Marsh Foundation
Eric Marsh was the Superintendent of the Granite Mountain Hotshots who died along with 18 of his crew members on June 30, 2013, while fighting the Yarnell Hill Fire. He served 23 years in the fire service, protecting land, property and most importantly, human lives. He loved being a hotshot and loved his crew like family.
Amanda Marsh, Eric's widow, founded the Eric Marsh Foundation for Wildland Firefighters in 2014 to carry forward and honor the legacy and lives of the 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots.
The Eric Marsh Foundation delivers vital financial assistance, emotional support, and mental health services to those affected by line-of-duty deaths, injury, and trauma. Through their work, they ensure that no wildland firefighter or family faces hardship alone by creating a strong network of support that reflects the brotherhood and sisterhood of the fire service. They are a 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization located in Prescott, Arizona.
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