On The Line

For this, the second installment of our two part leadership series, and the last episode of On The Line season four, Mark Smith from Mission Centered Solutions joins the podcast. Mark reviews the creation of the first Leadership (L) courses in wildland fire after the South Canyon Fire, his work with Honor the Fallen and their essay “The Big Lie” following the Yarnell Hill Fire,

For the next two episodes (Leadership Alpha, Leadership Bravo) On The Line is focusing upon leadership in wildland fire. And for the first of those episodes, we are so fortunate to have Mike Degrosky kick off that conversation. Mike has spent more than forty years in the fire service, in roles as diverse as volunteer, hotshot, Ops Section Chief, FMO, Training Officer, and Chief Off

In this, the fourth episode of season four, Dr. Phil Higuera from the University of Montana's Paleoecology and Fire Ecology Lab joins the podcast to discuss his and others' recent research efforts focusing upon declines in conifer resilience, the increasing loss of structures in western wildfires, and how climate change in general is affecting the fire landscape. https://doi.org/1

While females make up 10-12% of the wildland fire workforce, very little is known about them from a research perspective. Katie Christison, a Ph. D. student at the University of Montana, joins host Charlie Palmer to discuss her research focusing upon how female wildland firefighters (wlff) may be challenged to maintain thermoregulation and hydration balance due to hormonal fluctuat

Critical Training (CT) represents a two week (80 hour) period of time at the beginning of the season for each crew. Much important work happens during these fourteen days, including key training, physical challenges, completion of the pack test, and the initial efforts at building crew cohesion. While it remains a vital piece of each crew's development, little is known about the CT

In this, the first episode of season four, a visit from the incomparable Dr. Brent Ruby. Brent has been studying wildland firefighters in the lab and the field at the University of Montana for the last two and a half decades, and he stops by the podcast studio to discuss with moderator Charlie Palmer his latest published work: a never before done comprehensive review focusing on fi

While much is known about the science of wildland fire behavior, the same cannot necessarily be said about our understanding of the impacts that these blazes have upon those tasked with putting them out. Although that knowledge base is slowly building, much remains to be learned about the psychological and behavioral health of wildland firefighters (WLFF’s). Thanks to the recent

The human brain is the most resilient organ in the body. Yet, even it is susceptible to harm, not only from outside physical sources, but from internal mechanisms as well. Due to the nature of the work they do, wildland firefighters can be exposed to traumatic events. These incidents may have an impact upon our mental and behavioral health. BLM Battalion Chief Asad Rahman from Cars

Tune in for this special Season 3 bonus podcast when journalist Ali Pattillo joins the program to discuss her recent article regarding wildland firefighter mental health with host Charlie Palmer and cohost Brent Ruby. https://www.inverse.com/mind-body/wildland-firefighters-are-burning-out

Ibuprofen, a member of the class of medications known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), is one of the most widely used over the counter medications in the world. It is quite effective for treating pain, reducing fever, and lessening inflammation in the body. However, overuse of ibuprofen can lead to gastrointestinal problems, and may place stress upon the kidneys, a