The Lolo Hotshots were founded in 1961 and are considered to be one of the first hotshot crews in the United States.[3][4][5] The Lolo Hotshots received their first dispatch in 1969 to fight the Russian River Fire in Alaska.[3][5] In 1989, Margaret Doherty was hired as the Lolo Hotshots' Superintendent, becoming the first ever female hotshot superintendent.[5][4]
Organization
Today, the crew consists of 1 superintendent, 1 assistant superintendent, 3 squad leaders, 6 senior fire firefighters and 10 temporary employees.[3]
Operations
The Lolo Hotshots focus primarily on wildfire suppression and management.[3][4] The crew's wildfire season typically starts in mid-April and ends in early to mid-October. Crewmembers are expected to be in excellent physical condition and must meet the Standards for Interagency Hotshot Crew Operations.[3][4][5] The Lolo Hotshots are deployable anywhere in the United States and have been dispatched to Canada and Brazil to assist in wildfire suppression.[6][4][3]