Established 1976
The Sierra Hotshots have been an organized crew on the Sierra National Forest
since 1976.
The first home of the crew was at the Blue Canyon Work Center on the Kings
River Ranger District. In 1981, in order to make the crew more available for off
forest assignments and air transportation, the crew was reassigned to the San
Joaquin Experimental Range about 25 miles north of Fresno on Highway 41. The
crew was assigned to the Bass Lake Ranger District (now the Mariposa / Minarets
Ranger District).
In 1990 the Hotshots were asked to move again, this time to the Batterson
Work Center, just north of the town of Oakhurst (south of Yosemite) where they
are based out of today.
The Sierra Hotshots have had five Superintendents since the crews inception.
Crew Superintendents:
Steve Raddatz -- 1976 - 1979
John Szalay -- 1980 - 1989
Mike Freed -- 1987 and 1995 (Detail)
Steve Slate -- 1990 - 1997
Ken Jordan -- 1998 - Present
