The Bonneville Interagency Hotshot Crew is a part of the Bureau of Land Management fire suppression organization, and is hosted by the Salt Lake Field Office (SLFO). The crew’s office is located at the SLFO in West Valley City, only minutes from downtown Salt Lake City.

The mission of the Bonneville IHC is to provide a safe, organized, mobile, highly trained Type 1 handcrew, skilled and experienced in all aspects of wildand fire management, fire use, and a variety of other management skills. Although the primary mission for the Bonneville IHC is as a national, initial attack resource on all BLM lands, it is not unusual for the crew to be involved in fire suppression on all national lands, or help in disaster relief efforts such as hurricanes.

The 20-person, Type 1 handcrew is a diverse collection of intelligent, physically fit individuals. As a crew we eat, sleep, and work together for an average of 28 days every month. Because of this, crewmembers must work as a team and be able to adapt to an ever changing atmosphere. Crewmembers come from many different geographic regions, backgrounds, and beliefs, but one thing successful hotshot members have in common is an A-typical personality. Being on a hotshot crew requires more than just strong physical abilities, it demands a strong mental adaptability.  The work is far from glamorous.

Hotshots typically carry packs weighing up to 45 pounds, and sometimes find themselves hiking rough terrain for several miles before reaching the work site. Shifts normally last up to 16 hours, but can go as long as 36. The work can be exhausting at times, pushing some to their physical limits, but working as a team, and not an individual, helps team members overcome their weaknesses.   

The crew’s season normally runs from the beginning of May through the first of October, but can be extended depending on the severity of the fire season, and state fuels projects. Individuals can expect to spend most of these months away from home, and sometimes out of communication with family and friends.

The Bonneville IHC believes in building a strong organization through physical training as well as classroom and on-the-job experiences. A hotshot crew is not only defined through their ability to produce handline, but also their level of knowledge. Because of this Bonneville IHC emphasizes the importance of all crewmembers being able to make decisions on the fire line based on what is happening. Through both mental and physical strengths, a hotshot crew achieves Type 1 crew status.