Fulton Hotshots History

1960s

The Fulton Hotshot Crew was started on the Greenhorn R.D on the Sequoia N.F as a 6-person fuels crew that worked out of the Fulton Work center throughout the 1960’s. There were two other 6 person fuels crews that worked out of Davis Camp and Richbar Camp on the Greenhorn R.D of the Sequoia N.F. When a fire assignment was filled, the district combined the three crews for a total of 18 personnel and sent them to the assignment.

1970

Bill Sandborg became the crew Foreman in or around the month of August. The district combined the three stations for a total of 15-20 personnel at Fulton.  When a fire dispatch order came to the district, the district sent the fuels crew from Fulton. At this time, Bill Sandborg called them the Fulton Hotshots while on fire assignments and was severely reprimanded by Dick Montague from the Regional Office.

Although Bill put up an outstanding fight on why they should be called the Fulton Hotshots, he never convinced Dick Montague until 1973 when the crew was assigned to the Pillikan Fire on the Eldorado N.F.

1973

Well the story goes as follows: apparently the crew had pulled five straight 24 hour shifts and picked up a large portion of the fire which was considered the highest priority on the incident. The Regional Fire Staff was visiting the incident due to its publicity. Upon the completion of Fulton’s assignment, Dick Montague visited the area of concern on the fire. At that time the Fulton crew was returning from their shift and ran into Dick Montague while walking off the line after their 5 continuous shifts. Dick Montague was so impressed that at that time he announced, congratulated and awarded Bill Sandborg and the Fulton crew as now being identified as the Fulton Hotshots Nationally.

Although all the Hotshot Crews were being established around that time frame, Fulton was a little ahead of its time in 1973.

Crew Superintendents

Name	Dates
William A. Sandborg, Jr.	1970-1982
David R. Provencio, Jr.	1982 (Detail)
James Smith	1983-1988
Dan Kleinman	1989-1994
Shelby Charley	1995-1996 (Detail)
Luis Orozco	1997 (Detail)
Ron Bollier	1998-2013
Josh Acosta	2013 (Detail)
Josh Acosta	2014-Present