"Warriors of the Forest" - Chief Mountain Hotshots
The Chief Mountain Hotshots are a Native American Elite firefighting crew based out of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation located at Browning, Montana with Glacier National Park as their back yard. The 1988 and 1989 fire season was the two trial years for the crew. In 1990 the crew received their Type I Hotshot Status.
The Chief Mountain Hotshots are known as the “Warriors of the Forest” and have built an excellent reputation for safety and professionalism. In 1999 the crew received the National Safety Award for zero lost time accidents and zero reportable vehicle accidents.
The Chief Mountain Hotshots are a highly trained self-sufficient hotshot crew, working in wildland firefighting. On average, the Crew works 15 to 20 large fire incidents and travels 10,000 to 20,000 miles a year.
When the crew is not on fire incidents, they assist the Blackfeet Nation with community service and fuel and fire management projects. The Crew helps in spring clean-up, assists local people in burn permits and obtains fire wood for elderly and for spiritual needs.
In 2008, the Chief Mountain Hotshots became a P.L. 93-638 certified Native American Hotshot crew, an important accomplishment for the Nation because it allowed the Blackfeet Nation to contract the Wildland Fire Management Program from the Blackfeet Agency, Bureau of Indian Affairs. Today, the Blackfeet Nation assumes all responsibility for wildland fire management activates within the boundaries of the Blackfeet Reservation.
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