Wildland fire trainee exchange lends hand to global firefighting efforts
By Philip Oviatt, Central California District Public Affairs Officer
In 2022, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Kern Valley Hotshots handcrew assisted the US Forest Service’s Office of International Programs on wildfires. One of the programs under the US Forest Service, the Latin America, Caribbean and Canada Fire Management Program, works with Latin American counterparts to strengthen capacity in fire management through training, technical exchanges, workshops, conferences, and field assessments. This international program, in coordination with the National Interagency Hotshot Crews Steering Committee, identifies hotshot crews willing to host trainee exchanges. Although this activity is traditionally carried out with US Forest Service crews, the BLM’s Kern Valley Hotshots requested to participate that year. The BLM’s Kern Valley Hotshots were excited to host three firefighters from Mexico to embed into their team.