About 130 hot shot crews are based in the United States. They travel great distances to reach the front lines of wildfires burning anywhere in the U.S. and beyond, including Alaska and Hawaii and Canada. Driving 'crew buggies', two squads of 10 crewmembers each is self contained, outfitted with the tools, gear, food and water they need to dig in for the duration. Extended attack is where their fireline effectiveness is unmatched.

The following pages take a special look at the Los Padres Hot Shots, based near Santa Barbara, California.