Could you be a Hotshot? Take our quiz!

Patrick T. Fallon/Reuters

(Read caption)

Firefighter Justin Romero of the New Mexico based Silver City Hotshots uses a drip torch to build a backfire up the mountain off Potrero Road to control the Springs Fire near Newbury Park, California, in May 2013.

Hotshots are elite firefighters who are specially trained in wildfire suppression. They are the nation’s “first line and our elite line in dealing with fires,” said Tom Nichols, division chief for fire and aviation management of the National Park Service.

Hotshots are highly trained and qualified to ensure the safety of the public and of firefighters.  

“Safety is stressed and woven into every aspect of the fire community, from basic to advanced training, from daily work to incident operations,” said Randy Eardley, deputy chief of external affairs for the Bureau of Land Management.

Because safety is the top priority, hotshots must pass difficult fitness tests and undergo intense training. Do you have the knowledge and skills to battle the nation’s worst fires?