You can’t talk about wildland fire without talking about land. In this episode, we sit down with TJ Clifford, Diane Mastin Dixon, Casey Cheesbrough, and Lance Okeson to break down how fuels management works—and why it’s a cornerstone of BLM’s approach to reducing wildfire severity. From planning and partnerships to boots-on-the-ground treatments, this conversation highlights how managing vegetation today can change the trajectory of tomorrow’s fires.

When you work for the Bureau of Land Management Alaska Fire Service, things are done a little differently than in the lower 48. Chena hotshots Galen Milchman and Emily Evans join us to discuss what it's like to be a hotshot in the Last Frontier. They share details about life on Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks, AK, fighting fire on the tundra, and the camaraderie built while camping, working, and eating MREs with your crew in remote and rugged terrain.

Fire jobs are some of the most unique out there; piloting aircraft for the Bureau of Land Management goes above and beyond. Bob McCormick, Smokejumper Instructor Pilot, and Lisa Allen, Air Tactical Pilot, join Piper Brandt in the studio to discuss what it’s like to be a pilot for BLM Fire. They share what it takes to be a smokejumper or leadplane pilot, what they encounter on the job, and how their past experiences led them to the cockpit.