We tagged along with a squad of wilderness firefighters from the Oregonian boonies as they work to prevent their hometown from being torched to ashes like the super inflammable tinderbox that surrounds them on all sides.
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Whenever someone at our office bitches about being overworked, our stock response is "Beats digging ditches." While the express intention of the statement is usually not-so-supportive, we think it's a healthy reminder that at the end of the day, we are all basically professional emailers and should be thankful for such. The wildland firefighters who work for Grayback Forestry in Southern Oregon have no such motivational adages because their job is actually digging ditches. Around active forest fires. On the sides of mountains. You can't even bitch at these guys for having cushy government pensions to fall back on when they get older, because they're all private-sector contractors. Which means if they aren't out fighting forest fires or doing preventative forestry on unburned woods (basically extreme landscaping), they are losing money. They are literally the hardest working men in tree business. We spent a few days following a crew of Grayback forest-firefighters walk up the sides of what most people would consider a cliff to chop down underbrush in preparation for a controlled burn. This is what they like to call "project work," aka the light stuff in between fires, and yet it was still some of the hardest most least-rewarding work we have ever tried to do in our lives. Unless you consider 12-hour-plus shifts of backbreaking labor, virtually zero outside recognition, and occasional accusations of being shills for the timber industry rewards. Which we do not.
Hosted by Thomas Morton | Originally aired in 2010 on VICE.com
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"If you're not in it for the kids, you have no business being there" Respect, brother.
UnreasonableKnoll ...
Kudos to this reporter who didn't just interview in a room, but actually got up in the mountains with the crews.
Shout to the men and women who go out and sacrifice their family time to make sure fires don’t get out of control and destroy our property’s.
@@saulfregoso7704 shout it from the rooftops
Hopefully he has a newfound respect for people that do this and other types of work. Its not a snowflake world.
and the camera person, can’t forget them
He’s a trust fund baby, all of vice is just a bunch of trust fund baby libtards.
Oh, lay off the fella. I worked wildland fires with this company and I appreciate what the reporter is doing. He's clearly Trying to make the firefighters look tough by contrasting himself negatively. that's the point of his video. He's giving them some camera time and showing people what hard working and friendly guys they are at the expense of making himself the butt of the jokes. I appreciate what the reporters doing. More power to him.
Whether it is contract crew, BLM, Forests Service, State Department of Forestry, oven rural fire crews, this stuff is no joke.
He definitely did his job and was respectful and put his hands on the job. Great vid!
yes, but it's vice.
I'm sorry Sam, but this is KZhead. You should understand that intelligent comments have no place in this venue.
I worked BIA with my home agency outta high school. Hard work. Rewarding also.
I like how chill the sawyers are, they're all like 10ft to a forest fire eating slim Jim's and going over a map
Vics Motos hahha that shit was awesome
At some points they are beside a small fire they starter to pre-burn some stuff
11:33 Boss: “Not bad for a rookie, Tom. We’d take you on the crew” Guy in back: “we would? 😂😂😂
He said it as a statement not a question lmao
Lol
LMAO! He'll be freaked out 😢😞😂😳
@@ChosenOne9387 ohh you’d be surprised. 🎅
there's something funny about watching someone do manual labor when they aren't used to it.
SOCAL3800 Heroic also.
Could not agree more
I put on twenty pounds of muscle in my first year of it (years and years ago).
Lovely Video! Excuse me for the intrusion, I am interested in your initial thoughts. Have you researched - Trentvorty Healthy Skin Theorem (google it)? It is a great exclusive product for passing your firefight interview easily using this guide without the headache. Ive heard some extraordinary things about it and my close friend Aubrey got amazing success with it.
@@JSOwensit's almost like we're supposed to work and use our muscles. Crazy idea, right?
I was a structural firefighter for 5 years and I later became a Wildland Firefighter for 6 fire seasons. (I loved being a firefighter) I was part of the Navajo Scouts Firefighters. A team of Native Americans majority of us were from the Navajo Tribe in Arizona. Our job was to improve firelines working behind the elite teams of hotshot crews. We would dig firelines without stopping up to 3 miles at a time if the forest fire was large. We worked hard 16 hours a day. I enjoyed being a structural and Wildland firefighting. The toughest part was hiking steep inclines wearing 45-60 lbs of gear. Being a Sawyer or a swamper is hard work. We were well respected by the Greybacks and other elite hotshot crews. There were other Native American Tribes that fought fires with us at large forest fires. These firefighters are not actors they are for real!!!!!
Milton Deal what do you do now ?
So why would they do it at all, The pay ?
Milton Deal I’m Navajo and interested in this!
@@tannernygren6533I feel ya..I worked for GHR n hell ya!!!
"I'm currently dressed like a frosted mini wheats version of a Forest Firefighter"
That little fellow got allot of heart. He's hanging with men and they like him, Says allot
People are saying Thomas Morton is "sheltered" and "weak". In reality Morton has covered and worked with some of the most violent gangsters in the ghettos of Chicago/Atlanta and reported with the Kurds fighting ISIS in Syria while being shot at. If you watch other specials he's done, he really takes the time to research and understand the stories that he is covering; often times put into very dangerous situations/locations, something that most people would never think of doing. I think yall should give the guy a break, he is an extremely smart and hard working person, just not in the same sense that these firefigthers are. Also, having someone like Morton to cover these stories really highlights and contrasts the out-of-ordinary hard work that these people do everyday. Normal reporters are boring and all sound the same.
Casey Bonath well said. 100% correct. Year old I know. Lol
Hes a pussy lol.
Oh shut the fuck up please. Softball's a cute sport
Thomas Morton is the man. Maybe not a mans man. But he’s fucking rad.
Thomas has been places that anyone would think twice about... he's very versatile and up for anything. Tough comes in lots of shapes and sizes.
These are some good dudes man. See how polite he is at 7:32 and 7:45 ?
Guys who do tough jobs always respect others and watch their backs. It is mostly city workers who are full of aggression and prefer stabbing each other in the back..
I love how genuinely nice and welcoming these guys are. They seem to love their jobs too. Best video I've seen vice make in a long time. Really shows you how hard of a job they have
Great job buddy!! Was a hotshot for 3 years in the early 90s. Hardest work ever, but super rewarding. The leadership, teamwork and discipline has helped forge who I am today.
Can I wear pull on boots for forestry jobs ?
Well to be honest...that is pretty much how every rookie I have worked with looks first day on the job haha. It takes a while to break yourself into this kind of environment. They all have the same *what the hell did I get myself into* look on their faces.
theafi824 I agree , at least he gave every tool a try and talked honestly. I have found the guys who keep there mouths shut quit just before the first pay check. The ones that complain a little get a short speech from others and get motivation and keep going.
Watching this in 2021 in Prescott AZ to understand “cutting line.” “I feel very good about myself though for doing an honest day’s work.” Kudos to this kid reporting on this topic.
I'm a wildland firefighter. Much love for recording this. The job gets no recognition as we risk life and limb.
And lungs
My hat goes off to y'all. I've cut many of trees and know how tough the work is. Y'all are the real working class.
It is kind of obvious that the people fighting wild fires have to be tough as well as work hardened. The reporter despite his complaining or actually because of it is letting a lot of people, namely the armchair KZhead adventurers, know that it is a hard job that is not for everybody. So be glad the guy was willing to go out there to get a taste of it and let the rest of us know why we should be grateful that there are people willing to do that kind of demanding work. By the way in my part of the world there people every year who go out there throwing matches into the dry bush just for the paycheck.
I just want to thank you for this comment. I was so annoyed reason through some of these because they do not seem to understand the gravity of the situation he is in. He is definitely not cut out for this kind of work but he at least tried. It may have been to make this film but there are so many people out there who would look at this job and say I'm good without ever trying. And the way the crew reacted to him, encouraging and offering help just exemplifies the desire these people have to protect and serve every person they can.
Thanks, I think this was more interesting than if Mike Rowe did it on his show.
awalt26439 o
Why would somebody be getting paid to start a forest fire?
Man, this made me nostalgic for the days with my saw crew in Arizona. Hard work, but you never sleep so well.
What stands out to me is how down to earth and welcoming all these guys are, meanwhile when they walk by hipsters on the street I guarantee they are judged as being backwoods trash.
Sounds like you're doing just as much judging as your hypothetical "hipsters".
Found the hipster
+LL Hipster huh? That would imply I knew what was hip.
Yea right, I guarantee they were poking fun of him outside of earshot. Take your skirt off Sally.
Lord Leighton 😂😂😂😂😂
I fought fires for Grayback for two seasons right after discharging from the military; and it was some of the most memorable times of my life! Some the best guys that you can trust your life to!
he's just describing everything in detail so we know what those guys have to endure, and we respect them even more
I wonder how sore thomas was the next day? Hes so right about vibration in the fingers. You can also get that from sledgehammer. When I started hammering in rebar into the ground the second day the palms of my hands were all bruised. These forest firefighters are all heroes in their own way.
mad respect to the dude that was a teacher and realising his heart wasn't in it no more!!
Thanks for this. I spent 4 years on an engine crew, pretty good representation of the work.
If only we could train beavers to do the cutting & brush piling haha
The guy showing the reporter around was really awesome at explaining the process
Serious respect for these guys. Their effort keeps so many lives safe!
"dressed as a frosted miniwheats firefighter" HAHA
I love how Thomas Morton either is or strives to be the most tragic geek in documenting.
Wow. Thanks for opening my eyes on the hard work they do.
As a structural firefighter mad props you guys are nuts, I got a few buddies who are hot shots and while I suppose we're all a little crazy those dudes are on a different level some of the best people I know though.
I thought the host was very watchable and had a great attitude, made me watch the whole video lol
Proud to be a wildland firefighter. 541
me to pac O!
Same here.
come to Australia. This is weak
i wanna see the stuff yall hike in australia... isnt it pretty flat? i heard you guys drink beer while you fight, that true?
My uncle has the privilege of fighting fires in Australia every year, as a helicopter pilot :-)
Another well done, very interesting documentary from Vice and Thomas in particular. I look forward to seeing more of your reporting in the future Thomas.
I used to work for Grayback in '04 '05, probably the best two summers of my life. Stay safe!
How's here after Amazon Rainforest fire just watched this video and literally can't do anything to stop the fire
Bless these guys. Fighting the good fight to protect and preserve the beautiful Cascadian forests. There is no nobler job than this
Word to the wise; Forest fires are totally necessary for conifers to grow. All part of the normal process. Fire is as old as lightening, and as impossible to prevent.
great work vice! i really enjoyed this video, i would love to see more documentary clips like this
Those guys are so nice. They didn't tease him or anything, they were actually encouraging him to not make him feel bad.
"The sawdust is hell on my sinuses..."
Vice Should have sent Hamilton and a bag of coke 😂
Thought they would find all the mushrooms they need!
Kudos to these guys. They helped save my neighborhood when the Eagle creek fire in Oregon went down. When we came back to check on the house the fire was mainly contained but it reached about 100 feet off our property line to a fire line they plowed
I live over on bull mountain 15 minutes from you guys. Thank goodness for there work. Not a single house has been lost on Eagle creek yet.
As an Aussie it’s interesting to see the differences in both the fires and approaches to them. Also great job capturing just how hard those blokes work
Okay, KZhead, do I really need to see the same ad 8 times in a row?
Haha, he said "that's a bit laborious".
I really enjoyed this piece, thanks for posting it! I've been retired a few years but I spent almost 30 years working Fire/Rescue then in Law Enforcement with NPS. I have said this my whole life, and I continue to believe it with all of my heart: Wildland firefighting is literally the hardest job that you can do on the face of the planet. Yes, there might be other very physically demanding jobs but typically they are union jobs and you get off right at the 8-hour mark and you get lots of breaks. Wildland firefighting you can go at least on the initial attack when resources are spread out you can go for 24 hours before you get a relief. If all goes well you typically work 12-hour shifts and that is 12 hard-charging hours with very few breaks. Many times your shifts are extended to 15 or 16 or even 18 hours. Yes they get paid and the pay is starting to bump up and with overtime you can make quite a nice bundle of change over a 6 months or 7 month fire season but it still doesn't take away from the fact that people have to choose to do this and it is way harder than anybody could really even fathom. I also appreciate that this documentary did not start shoving the indoctrination of manmade climate change or global warming or whatever it is that is being called this week down our throats. I actually caught that they were really focusing on the reality of the matter, and that is for a good solid 100 years the powers-that-be said that all fires in the country had to be put out immediately and kept to less than 5 Acres. After a hundred years we now see the horror of that decision. All of our forest and Wildland areas and even Wildland interface areas are fully overgrown with low-level brush that once it ignites it goes up into the canopy and starts the crown fires and what-have-you that are so destructive. Back in the day, especially with the Native Americans they used to let fires burn to thin out the forest floor so that these catastrophic fires didn't happen. We really screwed up on that and now we're paying the huge price. Plus we have millions of people who have built homes in the middle of these wild land areas that never used to be there before, and a lot of houses are within 2 or 3ft of these huge trees so people get shocked that houses are lost in Wildland fires and they say it never used to be like that but the reality is that there never used to be houses where there are houses now and the forests used to be a lot thinner and a lot healthier.
Just want to say thanks for making this great video. Please keep up the great work.
You forgot about taking pictures for social media.
Everyone should lay off this guy, at least he gave it a shot, lol.
+Mysteryskatin I agree! the job isn't for everyone, but he was willing to try it and learn. I also think with his attitude he might be good by the end of a summer, muscle and fitness can be developed easier than a bad attitude.
+Brandon bonney thats very true. I feel like mental toughness and attitude are equally important to physical fitness.
Sean McCauley Yeah, every bit as important. On my first season they told us they were going to "start off slow..." We spent the next couple of weeks hiking, vomiting, hiking, running, digging line, vomiting some more - thinking it was the easy stuff, lol. They were seeing who would quit. Heart, balls, and brains are the three most important attributes that a good firefighter should have. Fitness will come.
Brandon bonney he wasn’t willing to learn he was put on this assignment and only did it to get paid.
He didn't give it a shot he was being filmed Mike Rowe would have even put him to shame. Let him spend a month on the crew and it would toughen him up
“Chose today to wear the gayest underwear I own” 😂 , gotta love the man’s humor and his heart. Well done, good journalism.
the workers seem very friendly. seem like a great bunch of guys. down to earth.
what is the song at 2:30 ?
Well I just found out what I want to do!
you cant, pack tests are over
+Ericredmenace bro I'm 12. I'm talking about when I get older
when do they usually start testing for these jobs. interested in trying to do it next year
look up NWCG (National Wildfire Coordinating Group), call or go to your local Forest Service ranger stations see if they can help you out
theyre doing them now, mines on march 12th.
Thank You .Alex and Team GOD KEEP YOU SAFE
Love this work. What the man said about there being nothing else after one season, true. It gets in your blood.
Guys, grow up. I get it. Its disappointing to see Thomas complain so much in this video. But it disappoints me because I've seen him place himself in a lot more uncomfortable situations without saying much of anything. He does many pieces where he gets in way over his head and makes things work. Even if he doesn't fit some of your ideas of a working class manly man, he deserves respect for putting himself out there and doing his job well - just like the men in this video. Thomas might not be able to cut it in their physically demanding line of work, but he doesn't hide that fact. He sort of embraces the truth that he's reporting on a world in which he doesn't belong at all. Don't take Thomas for granted. He might be a skinny pale hipster, but he gets his job done. After the African Truckers video where he basically got stranded without warning and just rolled with it, I'll pretty much always have respect for the guy.
All they had to do was just pause my mixtape 🙄
😂😂😂
Great respect for this profession!
During my stent in the Canadian Armed Forces as a vehicle Tech based at Petawawa , there were many times that we were called upon to don our gear and help fight wild fires in the North. Hot , smokie , dusty work carrying twin water tank backpak , shovel , rake , putting out root fires , brush fires , it was def hot work. I have total respect and admiration for all Wildland Firefighters , HotShots , Smoke Jumpers
Let's go in a burning forest fire and put it out!!!! Hats off to these guys. Thank you. I know most people don't understand what's involved. Again, thank you guys!!!
It's just like walking into an oven. Try to imagine that.
The crew boss should have never let that guy go out in the woods with those shoes on.
This is my community really cool seeing this
Bout to go on my first season in Oregon cant wait
When I leave the army this is my plan
Did you make it?
@@Slatari Obviously not, right?
Did you make it ? lol I’ll check back in anther 8 yrs
Fire is mankind's "first and oldest" enemy? Hmm.
Brandon Wilson hahaha makin us feel like cave men. I mean the shit that be goin on nowadays kinda does seem correct lol
I really enjoyed to see, that there are still respectful and positive debates going on, on KZhead. You two made me smile, just because i felt happy about your conversation :)
A long time ago, I chatted online with a digger. He told me a lot about forest fire fighting. I've had a lot of respect for those guys since. There should be more documentaries like this.
Easy up...hes a rookie ..
FNG
When someone from Portland tried to do blue collar labor.
That crew would be great to work with. They treated the reporter with respect. Kudos to the reporter for working up a sweat and giving it a try.
im realy glad you pronouncing oregon correctly i grew up in florence oregon and alot of my friends went and did this fire line clearing and fighting fires badas video thanks
O boy really got in over his head on this one. But hey Tommy boy doesn't try to pretend he's a tuff guy like most of you couch potatoes commenting on how much of a sissy he is. He's a reporter OK ppl not a firefighter..give credit where its due. Well done Thomas Respect!
i dont care about the reporter's lack of physical strength or anything but i just hate this guy's attitude, is he supposed to be a living hipster cliche?
They could not have picked a better journalist for this. That was awesome!!!
How does one get into this line of work!? This seems amazing
Hire some reporters not kids
they sent the wrong guy for this lol My sister could of been a better candidate
If i ever met any of these guys i'd buy them all a beer or 2. Super hard labour intensive work, these guys deserve as much respect as possible.
Respect to all forest fire fighters around the world. From La Palma, Canary Islands (Spain).
Yeah, nice guys, hardworking. But, a contract crew. Not USFS, NPS or BLM. Let alone, a hotshot crew. It's a different gig. Private.
Kinda disingenuous though as how much are shot crews putting in per season versus a contract crew? Everyone should be treated respectfully, but at the same time there should be objective reality concerning differences amongst type 1 and type 2 crews. Are there less than stellar shot crews? Sure. Are they a majority? No, they’re not. Everyone deserves respect though, you do the job, you should be treated just like anyone else. When you put in extra though, or lead by example, the respect can and should increase accordingly. There’s a lead sawyer on a shot crew that runs a 7:30 mile and a half, that’s the sort of thing I’m getting at here, you won’t find people usually on type 2 crews putting in that level of off season training and commitment, or even as a baseline with that level of genetic gnarliness. I know a dude that started out on a contract crew, went on to a shot crew and a jumper, so maybe the humbleness there leads one to want it more. Great dude though anyways.
Says he is carrying his weight in forestry equipment, I’m like “ bro if you weigh as much as a chainsaw and a gallon of gas then you need to eat some meat.
Much respect for these blokes, good video
Thanks for the upload
This guy is a whiner.
***** hes a city boy and dose not have any business being in the woods
Okay, so call "whine-one-one!" (And report a forest fire with a whiner in it!)
That reporter a city boy...Jesus.
David Audet he's a pussy in this video, but he's been in his fair share of hot spots. I've seen him reporting in Syria getting shot at. That being said I remember the first time I used a chainsaw at 11.
Very good video Vice. Thanks! I would agree I think I also would be short lived with that line of work although Id love to try and see how long I could go. Very enjoyable video Vice Thanks again. Props to the forest fighters as well very cool!
A quick question: 14:14 What is the title of the song that is heard at the vary end of this Video? I want to download it!
Hero...bah! Did it for years and its just a job like any other. A buddy said it best..."mud peasant". The hero thing really pisses me off because the wages of heroism are those nasty body bags they pull off the hill with the ghastly angular protrusions. Give credit and reasonable pay to fire fighters but never mind the deification...its just a job like any other and people do it for the same old prime motivators...money and because they like it.
an old fireranger i know said it in a way that cuts through the bullshit. "we're just saving trees, its not worth dying over and its not heroic, there just trees."
Reporter needs to turn in his man card permanently and put on a dress. .
how long did you fight fire?
Vice, you should do a follow-up on wildland firefighting's aviation resources. Like Smokejumpers in Alaska or one of the Helitack rappel crews in the Northwest. Often times, these resources are IA (initial attack), meaning they're first on scene, the first to take charge of the incident, develop plans, and call shots. It would give another perspective from how a handcrew operates (as in this documentary) and provide some badass scenery.
About to go into my first season of wildland through a private company. Looking forward to it!
Bloody hipster
But, ah, this reporter or whatever he is, is kind of a wuss LOL.
it is hard work but ya totally agree. He cries a lot.
And yet there you were sitting on KZhead.
Hardest work I’ve ever loved 💪🏻
damn good report. "vibrationally numb fingers" is so true. thanks for remembering to give us the play by play on how the job is actually taking a toll against your body. some people just don't know until they do it.
Vice hire some journalist, whose not a goober
Lol this dude is dying after 6 minutes of line cutting. I sometimes thank God I didn't grow up to be a sissy boy like that. So glad I grew up in the south where doing hard labor was just normal.
+John Davis Home's in Alabama, No matter where I lay my head My home's in Alabama, Southern born and southern bred
Death Cruz Customs Alabama is actually where I grew up. Haha
+John Davis Roll Tide!
I want to try my hand on something like this.. always wanted to be a firefighter but wouldn't had passed our physical test, it's as tough as our best special ops in the army have. Was close though. Thumbs up for wilderness firefighters!
You are a gentleman and a scholar, and I agree with both of you.