The Alta Hotshots are a nationally recognized Type 1 Interagency Hotshot Crew (IHC), based out of the State of Utah Wildland Fire Operations Center in South Salt Lake City, UT. The crew is hosted and sponsored by the Utah Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands (FFSL) and operates under a cooperative partnership between the United States Forest Service (Region 4) and FFSL.
Season Overview
The crew is typically organized from May to the end of October and when not assigned to an incident we’ll work 10 hour days Monday -Thursday depending upon project work. The first two weeks of the season consists of 80 – 100 hours of critical training encompassing refresher training, proficiency checks, and crew physical training. During critical training the crew will train together both mentally and physically, in the classroom and in the field, to build a cohesive team that is collectively familiar with crew operations, tactics, and SOP’s
At the end of critical training and upon completion of our base review, the crew will be listed “Available Nationally” through the Great Basin Coordination Center (GBCC) which manages the rotation of 12 IHC’s within region 4.
When not assigned to an incident, the crew regularly completes forestry-related projects around the State of Utah. Projects include; fuel breaks, prescribed fire, defensible space, forest health, and invasive species work. Due to the travel times to some project sites, camping is regularly used to complete targeted projects. This allows for long days and short project weeks when weather allows.
Below are statistical averages over the last 10 years on what a typical fire season can look like:
- Days assembled as a crew: 177
- Days assigned to incidents: 117
- Days performing project work: 12
- Total number of days off in a season: 35
- Total hours worked: 2100
Crew Dynamics
The crew has the ability to hire up to 25 Hotshots to fill 10 permanent positions and 15 temporary positions. Traditionally 2 to 4 new crew member positions are filled yearly through our crew specific application process that takes place between November 1st and January 31st.
The general crew configuration is as follows: one Superintendent, two Captains, two Squad Leaders, two Lead Crew Members, three Senior Firefighters, and 15 temporary Hotshots. Currently we operate with four vehicles in our crews fleet that comprises: one Supt Truck, two Freightliner Crew Carriers (Alpha and Bravo), one Support Truck (Delta) with a trailer and UTV.
As mentioned above Alta IHC is based out of the State of Utah Wildland Fire Operations Center in Salt Lake City, UT. Our center houses not only us but also Lone Peak IHC, Twin Peaks T2IA, Dromedary Peak T2IA, our two Lone Peak Type III Engines and our fuels crew, Thunder Mountain. Because of this unique organization it allows plenty of opportunity to take advantage of training at all levels from all units by being able to move folks around to accomplish individual goals and/or center needs.
History
The Alta Hotshots were officially certified as an Interagency Hotshot Crew on June 13th, 2014, after a rigorous four-year journey. This process included peer evaluations, an embedded review with a former Hotshot Superintendent, and an extensive certification review.
The origins of the Alta Hotshots can be traced back to 2003 when they were established as the UFRA Type 2 crew. Created through a partnership between Utah Valley University (UVU) and the State of Utah, the UFRA crew aimed to provide students in UVU’s wildland fire suppression courses with valuable work experience and training. In 2007, the crew gained the qualifications and experience necessary to elevate their status to a Type 2 Initial Attack crew.
After several successful years and retention of critical leadership positions, the decision was made in 2010 to begin the process of developing the UFRA crew into an Interagency Hotshot Crew. With this new goal in mind, the crew shifted its focus from serving as an internship platform for UVU students to becoming a highly reliable professional fire suppression resource. To achieve this, the crew actively sought out a core group of experienced firefighters who could help meet this ambitious goal.
In 2012, it became clear that if the crew were to achieve Type 1 status, the name ‘UFRA Hotshots’ was no longer fitting. After considering several options, the crew voted, and ‘Alta Hotshots’ emerged as the winner. ‘Alta,’ meaning ‘high’ or ‘elevated’ in many languages, reflects the high standards expected of all Alta IHC crew members and the upward trajectory desired for the crew’s reputation.
Today, the Alta Hotshots continue to foster firefighter development, offering an engaging learning platform for qualified individuals from the UVU wildland program as well as other fire agencies. Ultimately, the crew is committed to hiring the most qualified applicants to maintain a highly dependable and professional Interagency Hotshot Crew.
Alta IHC Superintendents
- Tyler Carruth 2022 – Present
- Jesse Trembly 2019 – 2021
- Wade Snyder 2014 – 2018
UFRA/Alta Hand Crew Crew Bosses
- Wade Snyder 2012 – 2013 (Alta Hand Crew)
- Wade Snyder 2010 – 2011 (UFRA)
- Lyle Jennings 2009 (UFRA) Detail
- Wade Snyder 2007 – 2008 (UFRA)
- Riley Pilgrim 2006 (UFRA)
- Jonah Gladney 2005 (UFRA)
- Donny Bennett 2004 (UFRA)
- Shaylor Sorenson 2003 (UFRA)