Hell Canyon Ranger District Fire

Hell Canyon Ranger District has two station locations one in Custer, SD & the other in Newcastle, WY. The Custer crew consists of 2 Type 6 Engines & 1 Type 3 Engine, a District Hose Trailer, and a Hell Canyon Command Trailer. The Newcastle crew has 1 Type 4 Engine & 1 Type 6 Engine.

 Around 22 seasonals are hired each year between the two offices.

There are two seasonally staffed lookouts, Bear Mountain Lookout & Elk Mountain Lookout that watch for fires through the fire season.

Average fire responses per year over the last 10 years: 66 fires/year

Average annual fuels program targets:

• 3000 acres hazardous fuels reduction
• 2500 acres BD (Brush Disposal)
• 1000 acres KV fuels

 

When Not Fighting Fire:

Fire Shop’s Other District Responsibilities

• Fleet
• Facilities Maintenance
• Hazmat Coordination
• Lawn Maintenance
• Snow Removal
• District Radio Program
• RAWS (Remote Automated Weather Station) Maintenance
• Chainsaw/Cross Cut Program Certification

Fire Preparedness

• Seasonal Employee Recruitment
• Engine Inventories
• Preparedness Drills
• Attending and Instructing Fire Courses
• Physical Training
• Engine Maintenance
• Checking Fires
• Fire Rehabilitation
• Fire Prevention Programs

Fuels

• Fuels Planning and Burn Plan Writing
• Fuel Break Thinning
• Brush Piling (Hand & Bobcat)
• Pile Burning (Hand & Mechanical)
• Pile Rehab
• Prescribed Burn Prep
• Prescribed Burning
• Fuel Moisture Sampling
• Annual Arkansas Prescribed Burning

Misc.

• TSI (Timber Stand Improvement) Whip and Cull Tree Removal Thinning
• Hazard Tree Removal
• Wildlife Opening Tree Removal
• Forest Road Clearing
• Fence Line Clearing
• Guzzler and Spring Repairs

For furthur information, contact Hell Canyon Fire Management Officer Todd Hoover at (307) 746-2782.