by Jim Mulligan
Wildfires are not a new phenomenon. For millennia, fires have been an integral part of a healthy ecosystem, though a problem has arisen in the last couple hundred years. People and the structures we build have become abundant, that in turn, has given rise to aggressive fire suppression efforts to keep people and buildings safe. While those efforts have kept many out of harms way for a long time, less fire means more fuel build up; more fuel means powerful, out of control fires. That’s where we find ourselves today, battling an out of balance ecosystem, where fire is unstoppable at times. The Reedley College Wildland Fire Program is working hard to train women and men to combat not just the fires that ravage our state on a yearly basis, but train them to help maintain the delicate balance that our forested areas need to have to be healthy.

RC instructor Sam Escutia met with a few of last year’s student crew members while out on the Electra fire this summer.
Adam Hernandez has worked to build the new program since he was hired to do so in 2019. Hernandez grew up in California forests. He is the son of a forester; his dad worked for the U.S. Forest Service, and that job took them to many areas of the state as Hernandez grew up. Yet, when Hernandez graduated from Clovis High School, he really didn’t have his sights on a job in forestry or firefighting for that matter. Like many eighteen year olds, he didn’t know exactly what he wanted to do. He did know that he wanted to get an education, and he wanted to do it on his own. After a semester at what would become Clovis Community College, Hernandez set out on his own, moved to Sonora, got a job with a cabinet maker, and continued his education at Columbia College in Sonora.

Instructor Adam Hernandez (far right, with crew mates) during his stint as a Smoke Jumper in McCall, Idaho. Hernandez spent part of his firefighting career jumping from airplanes to attach wild fires.
His fire season job allowed him to earn money and to continue his education, eventually transferring to Chico State University where he earned his bachelor’s degree. He initially had thoughts about going into education, maybe teaching hands-on subjects like industrial technology. While teaching was to be his job eventually, his voracious work ethic and commitment to the tough job of fighting wildland fires landed him an offer for full-time employment doing just that. He spent the next seventeen years as a Federal Wildland Firefighter, the last three years of which was in the less physically grueling position as a manager.
After some time in the mostly administrative position, Hernandez admittedly missed being out on the fires, but knew months away from his young family would cause hardship. Very serendipitously, he saw a job announcement for the new instructor of a Wildland fire program beginning at Reedley College. Cautiously, but optimistically, he researched the opportunity and decided it might be the right time to tweak his career. As it turned out, Reedley College thought he was the right person for the job. He began as a new faculty member in 2019.

Instructors Adam Hernandez and Andrew Cremers show off one of two brand new crew carriers owned by Reedley College. The crew carriers are the same type of rigs that are operated by federal wildland fire agencies for the transport of crews and equipment.

RC Crews 11 and 10 in a line construction race for push-ups; students practicing line construction techniques, teamwork, and communication.
For more information about the Reedley College Wildland Fire program: rcwildland.com.
You can find more Reedley stories in our Reedley News section.
Great article!!