Hotshot Superintendent | Interviewed April, 2014 | California
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Dan Mallia, Superintendent of the Redding Interagency Hotshot Crew (a developmental crew based out of Northern California), discusses what type of days are the most memorable for him - fighting fire in the Wildland Urban Interface.
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How does Dan view the role of fire in the environment?
“It needs to be in the environment, and we all know that we do a really good job of putting fires out. We’re really good at that job. With that has brought on all the fuel loading, and the unhealthy forests, and things of that nature…I would love to see a lot more fire. Especially the ones that are doing good; just let them burn. We’ll deal with the smoke…An old Fuels guy I used to work for, when I worked on the Mendocino, told me, “Everything gets treated eventually.” It’s just, is it under your terms? Or is it under Mother Nature’s terms?“