SigMT

SiG MT 47 down the road, seeing livestock tangled in barbed wire, trying to get away from the fire." "We run into a lot of animals," he continues. "In 2008, in Yellowstone, one of our guys was aacked by a bear. He was in the way of the bear's escape." e hotshot was taken to a clinic and returned to work a couple of days later. "Fire is a natural part of the ecosystem and it plays an important role. But there's a need for active fire management to protect homes, people, and livestock," Knudsen says. "In Eastern Montana, ranchers may say," stop it from burning my grass' and don't worry as much about the home. eir land is their livelihood." "To do the job at such intensity, you have to have a sense of humor and come together as a team," Knudsen says. is is needed on both "the high intensity fire days and when doing mop up. ose days can be long and slow," as the crew uses water, hand tools, and dirt to douse the smoldering embers. Still, Knudsen says, "It's a rewarding job, a lot of fun. It's the crew, the atmosphere, the cohesion. And I like being outside and in the woods." Plus, he enjoys "the incredible places you go, that you'd never think of going." "It's prey exciting when you get the call to go on a fire," he notes, though admits it can be hard being away from family and friends. He says, "My wife is incredibly supportive." No surprise there. A mom and personal trainer, Knudsen's wife Jessica is a former hotshot herself. S MT Denise Czuprynski has been writing and editing her full career in marketing and communications. She feels proud and blessed to call Cascade, Montana her home. e job can be physically and mentally exhausting. "You start to feel it aer a long, hard season."

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