illie Knudsen, superintendent of the
Lewis & Clark Hotshots, is surprisingly
calm, cool, and composed—just the guy
you want leading an elite firefighting crew.
A 15-year "hotshoer," Knudsen leads
a team of 21 out of the Great Falls office
of the U.S. Forest Service. At any time,
his crew may be dispatched anywhere in
the country.
As superintendent, his job involves
"overall safety and management, finding
lookout spots, and identifying problems,
as well as a lot of planning." e most
important and stressful part, Knudsen says,
is "making sure everyone comes home safe."
e Cody, Wyoming native has served
Lewis & Clark since 2006 and started
fighting fires nearly 20 years ago, in
Wyoming and Oregon. He recalls those
early days: "It can definitely be over-
whelming on your first few fires. ere's so
much to take in, especially that first year."
However, Knudsen says, "We have systems
in place to minimize dangers." ese
include lookouts, who watch for problems;
communications, verbal and by radio;
escape routes, to flee from danger; and
safety zones that will not burn.
Fire behavior analysts make predictions
every day, every shi. "We have models
showing how fast the fire might move.
Weeks out, they can tell you where it's
likely to go," Knudsen says.
W
SiG
MT
43
