Hotshot Superintendent | Interviewed May, 2014 | Oregon
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Eric Miller, Hotshot Superintendent, talks about his favorite parts of hotshotting and favorite place to fight fire. This interview was collected in May of 2014; Eric is currently the Superintendent of the Prineville Hotshots.
An Introduction: Eric Miller
A Perk of the Job
Worst Shift Ever
Walks out of the Gila
Hard Shifts and Long Hikes
Cultural Challenges
Long Shifts and Spike-outs
Blowdown in Minnesota
Proud Moments
Characteristics of an Ideal Hotshot
Going Direct
The Role of Fire in the Environment
The Future to Come…
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How does Eric view the role of fire in the environment?
“Overall we need fire in the environment. Obviously our forests and rangelands are pretty overstocked with growth because of fire suppression for the last hundred years… We’re seeing fires and that are several hundred thousand acres and burn for months, instead of days or weeks. There is a lot of work to do probably letting some of this stuff burn under moderate conditions.”
“You know when the public gripes, politicians get involved. And we’ve spent 30 million or 300 million on the new aircraft for the next 10 years. That’s a lot of boots on the ground, that’s a lot of prevention, that’s a lot of prescribed burning, that’s a lot of treatment.”
