Best USDA Forest Service Podcasts (2025)

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Being fair to those nominated for public service: USDA and Forest Service are targeted

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24d ago

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On this airing of The Great Outdoors, Charlie Potter shares his thoughts on being fair to those who are nominated for public service, after USDA and Forest Service are targeted. Plus, he talks about the West Nile virus and ongoing research to stop its spread. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/7458173/The_Great_Outdoors_6_8_25_2025-06-06-171113.128.m…

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20 Year Old Wess Roley Named As Shooter In Idaho Wildfire Ambush. New Details Emerge About The Suspect. Remembering the Granite Mountain Hotshots. 17:54

2d ago17:54

17:54

On Today’s Show: To support and subscribe: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ 20-year-old Wess Roley has been named as the shooter in the Idaho Wildfire ambush that took place yesterday in Hayden, Idaho. New details have emerged about the suspect, which I cover. He allegedly has a past criminal record and mental health issues. Today, we remembe…

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Two Confirmed Deaths, Unknown Casualties In Idaho Wildfire Ambush. Law Enforcement Still Taking Active Fire From Unknown Amounts Of Suspects. 11:15

3d ago11:15

11:15

Idaho Wildfire Shooting Update: To support and subscribe: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ The press conference has just finished, with new details on the incident. Two firefighter deaths were confirmed by the local sheriff, FBI en route, and SWAT on scene. Law enforcement says they are still actively taking fire from an unknown number of “we…

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Land Sale Proposal Pulled From Budget Bill. Firefighter Burned In Nevada. Mental Health In The WildFire Workforce With Dani Shedden. How to find positivity in your work. 1:10:42

3d ago1:10:42

1:10:42

On Today’s Show: 100% community supported, To Subscribe: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ The public land sale proposal has been removed from the budget bill. Sen. Mike Lee said this morning that he may reintroduce the proposal, but will remove the sale of Forest Service land and significantly reduce the amount of Bureau of Land Management La…

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Microplastics found in dolphins and the importance of bird banding programs

3d ago

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On this episode of The Great Outdoors, Charlie Potter shares his concerns about microplastics being found in dolphins, as well as the importance of bird banding programs. Plus Jaws at 50 years, what the film meant for sharks. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/7497327/The_Great_Outdoors_6_29_25_2025-06-28-145427.128.mp3 Recent Posts The Great Outdoor…

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The largest grassland ecosystem in the world was ours and it is gone

10d ago

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On this airing of The Great Outdoors, Charlie Potter talks about the loss of the largest grassland ecosystem in the world, plus concerns on Alaska cruise ships and the increased pricing of adventures. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/7482931/The_Great_Outdoors_6_22_25_2025-06-20-162131.128.mp3 Recent Posts The Great Outdoors with Charlie Potter Mic…

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What's Inside The Proposal To Sell 1.5% Of Public Lands? I Cover This Plan To "Dispose Of" Millions Of Acres. Alaska wildfires pop off, Dozer operator burned in New Mexico. 45:01

11d ago45:01

45:01

On Today’s Show: To Support and Subscribe 👇https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ I cover the proposal to sell off up to 1.5% of public lands for housing developments. I am a firm believer that public lands are our greatest national treasure. I cover the full details of the plan, which expects to raise $10 billion, and further fund land management …

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Fire In The Sky, Drones For Firing Ops And More: CEO Of Drone Amplified, Dr. Carrick Detweiler. Their IGNIS quadcopter UAS platform is the standard for firing ops across the industry. 38:46

12d ago38:46

38:46

On Today’s Show: To Subscribe and Support 👇https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ Today, I welcome Dr. Carrick Detweiler, founder and CEO of Drone Amplified. They have developed the quadcopter drone and software platform used by the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, State Agencies, and others for aerial ignitions on wildfires and prescribe…

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Wildlife and fish prove adaptive if they have time plus selling off federal lands stirs debate

17d ago

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On this airing of The Great Outdoors, Charlie Potter discusses how wildlife and fish have proven adaptive if they have time to evolve, as well as the selling of federal lands has stirred some debate. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/7472314/The_Great_Outdoors_6_15_25_2025-06-14-145114.128.mp3 Recent Posts The Great Outdoors with Charlie Potter Micr…

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CEO Of Watch Duty, John Mills, Discusses Developing Wildfire Tech And The Future Of The Company. 46:43

30d ago46:43

46:43

On Today’s Show: I am 100% subscriber-supported, Thank you. 🙏To Subscribe: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ John Mills moved to California and quickly came to realize the harsh reality of living in the wildland-urban interface. More out of necessity than anything else, he began working on the Watch Duty platform, a wildfire-tracking app, with…

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U.S. Forest Service acts to control fires and screwworms are advancing

1M ago

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On this airing of The Great Outdoors, Charlie Potter discusses how the U.S. Forest Service is acting to control fires, and how screwworms are advancing and messing with Mother Nature. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/7445179/The_Great_Outdoors_6_1_25_2025-05-31-160619.128.mp3 Recent Posts The Great Outdoors with Charlie Potter Microplastics found i…

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Can AI forecast the weather faster and with greater accuracy?

1M ago

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On this airing of The Great Outdoors, Charlie Potter questions whether AI can forecast the weather faster and with greater accuracy, and also shares how university research reductions may impact conservation work. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/7433750/The_Great_Outdoors_5_25_25_2025-05-24-180750.128.mp3 Recent Posts The Great Outdoors with Charl…

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USDA And DOI Sign Joint Wildfire Memo. Sec. Rollins Directs Forest Service Wildfire Response In New Order. No Tax On Overtime...? 31:13

1M ago31:13

31:13

On today’s show: To support and subscribe👇https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ Yesterday, Secretary Rollins and Secretary Burgum received their 2025 wildfire briefing in the Forest Service offices and signed a joint wildfire memo afterward. Further, Secretary Rollins issued a memorandum directing the USDA and Forest Service to take immediate acti…

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Private forest lands are leading the way to sound management

2M ago

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On this airing of The Great Outdoors, Charlie Potter discusses how private forest lands are leading the way to sound management and why reducing wildfire impacts can help threatened species. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/7422018/The_Great_Outdoors_5_18_25_2025-05-18-021918.128.mp3 Recent Posts The Great Outdoors with Charlie Potter Microplastics…

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23 Years As A Fire Wife: The Struggles And Joys Of Wildfire Relationships. Brittany Culbertson joins to discuss what it’s like to be a longtime Fire Wife. 1:09:16

2M ago1:09:16

1:09:16

On Today’s Show: To subscribe and support 👇https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/With wildfire couples starting another season and enduring the struggles that come with that, I thought it would be a great time to have a conversation about exactly this. Brittany Culbertson is a mom of two boys (17 & 20) and a proud Wildland Fire wife for 23 years. S…

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Kerry Luft talks about the need for conservation to be nonpartisan and examples of federal wetlands programs that are working for all of us

2M ago

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On this airing of The Great Outdoors, Charlie Potter is joined by the Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation’s Kerry Luft as he talks about the need for conservation to be nonpartisan. They also share examples of federal wetlands programs that are working for all of us. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/7414231/The_Great_Outdoors_5_11_25_2025-05-13-170431.1…

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The Timber Executive Orders: Former NEPA Assistant Director For The USDA, Sharon Friedman, Joins To Discuss The Orders. 1:12:11

2M ago1:12:11

1:12:11

On today’s show: To Support and Subscribe 👇https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ These last couple of weeks, listeners have been asking for an episode of the recent Timber Executive orders on Timber management in the National Forests. So, I invited Sharon Friedman on the show, who has a wealth of knowledge as the former Assistant Director of NEPA …

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The Everglades are being starved of water – Governor DeSantis is leading the way to save ‘America’s Marsh’

2M ago

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On this airing of The Great Outdoors, Charlie Potter talks about how Governor Ron DeSantis is leading the way to save “America’s Marsh” as the Everglades are starved of water. Plus, he shares his concerns on how off-road vehicles are trashing the American West. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/7397615/The_Great_Outdoors_5_4_25_2025-05-03-194715.128…

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Getting Through Critical 80 Healthy, Now What? Sustainable Wellness Through The Fire Season With Jessie Thomas. Jessie is a Former Hotshot, Smokejumper, and now a health and fitness coach. 1:23:44

2M ago1:23:44

1:23:44

On Today’s Show: To Subscribe and support: 👇https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ I welcome Jessie Thomas to discuss health and fitness through the fire season. Sometimes, you need to hack the system to make it work for you, as the food and nutrition provided are often subpar. So, Jessie provides solutions for how you make it through the year whil…

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Saving the Everglades and the population growth of Florida

2M ago

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On this airing of The Great Outdoors, Charlie Potter discusses the need to save the Everglades wetlands ecosystem, along with the population growth in Florida, and elimination of environmental regulations. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/7386750/The_Great_Outdoors_4_27_25_2025-04-26-162150.128.mp3 Recent Posts The Great Outdoors with Charlie Potte…

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Living In The Wildland Urban Interface: Insurance Costs Rising, Home Hardening, And Wildfire Risk Maps. Stanford Scholar Michael Wara provides a needed dose of reality. 1:03:29

2M ago1:03:29

1:03:29

On Today’s Show: To Subscribe and support the show 👇https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ With recent developments in Oregon, Idaho, and California regarding their use of wildfire risk maps, the skyrocketing cost of insurance, and the reality of living in the Wildland Urban Interface, Stanford scholar and lawyer Micheal Wara joins the show to prov…

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The life of a conservation leader: Jim Scheer

2M ago

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On this airing of The Great Outdoors, Charlie Potter shares the life and accomplishments of conservation leader Jim Scheer. Plus, he talks about the launch of a non-partisan conservation movement. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/7377176/The_Great_Outdoors_4_20_25_2025-04-19-153216.128.mp3 Recent Posts The Great Outdoors with Charlie Potter Micropl…

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Yes, There Is A Draft Executive Order For Wildfire. Here Is What's In It. Also, Oregon scraps wildfire risk map and Oklahoma Governor wants dissolve wildfire agency. 1:04:40

3M ago1:04:40

1:04:40

On today’s show: To subscribe 👇https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ There have been ongoing discussions about major changes in the wildfire world for some time now. As significant changes are ongoing across the government, we get our first look at a draft executive order regarding a national wildfire service and more. This includes aviation and c…

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Illinois conservation board has been restructured away from hunting and fishing interests

3M ago

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On this airing of The Great Outdoors, Charlie Potter explains how the Illinois conservation board has been fundamentally restructured away from hunting and fishing interests and why Canadian farmers might not put out the welcome mat for U.S. hunters. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/7367162/The_Great_Outdoors_4_13_25_2025-04-12-140002.128.mp3 Recen…

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Have states overreached in controlling access to federal lands?

3M ago

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On this airing of The Great Outdoors, Charlie Potter questions whether states have overreached in controlling access to federal lands, and he shares the tale of an albino turkey that defies the laws of nature. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/7356918/7356918_2025-04-05-183318.128.mp3 Recent Posts The Great Outdoors with Charlie Potter Microplastics…

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Chris Dorsey discusses the rapid rise in non-resident hunting fees

3M ago

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On this airing of The Great Outdoors, Charlie Potter is with Dorsey Pictures President Chris Dorsey, discussing the rapid rise in non-resident hunting fees and the ringing of bells at the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup finals. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/7346535/7346535_2025-03-29-161535.128.mp3 Recent Posts The Great Outdoors with Charlie Potter Mi…

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California’s Growing Fuel And Wildfire Problem. A Conversation With Zeke Lunder. Fuels mitigation and prescribed fire are key to the solution. 1:01:21

3M ago1:01:21

1:01:21

On Today’s Show: To Subscribe 👇 https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ Zeke Lunder is a Pyro-geographer. His parents fled the Bay Area for the hillbilly sticks of Northeastern California in the late 1970s, when the timber industry was still a major part of the local economy, and Zeke started working in the woods in high school on a Forest Service c…

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Greenpeace loses lawsuit and must pay $660 million for violent acts

3M ago

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On this airing of The Great Outdoors, Charlie Potter shares his thoughts on the $660 million Greenpeace must pay after their lawsuit loss, and the recent study by Cornell Labs on bird populations. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/7334344/7334344_2025-03-22-145144.128.mp3 Recent Posts The Great Outdoors with Charlie Potter Microplastics found in dol…

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Human Lookouts V.S. The Robots... A 35 Year Lookout Veteran, Zeyn O'Leary Gives His Perspective. 51:49

3M ago51:49

51:49

On Today’s Show: To Subscribe: 👇 https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ Today, I welcome Zeyn O’Leary, a 35-year veteran fire lookout who has staffed towers since 1991. Zeyn started in the Iron Mountain Lookout on the Willamette National Forest, staffed the Rose Peak Lookout in the Apache Sitgreaves National Forest, and currently staffs the Mt. Pis…

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Public and private partnerships have driven conservation efforts

4M ago

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On this airing of The Great Outdoors, Charlie Potter talks with Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation’s Kerry Luft about how public and private partnerships have driven conservation efforts, and if we want conservation, we must bring farmers to the table. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/7324481/7324481_2025-03-15-145821.128.mp3 Recent Posts The Great Out…

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The Continuing Resolution Deadline, Wildfire Pay, And Wildfire Legislation. Senator Tim Sheehy Joins The Show To Discuss It All. Deadline for passage is Friday night. 16:01

4M ago16:01

16:01

On Today’s Show: To Subscribe 👇 https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ With less than 48 hours to pass the Continuing Resolution that locks in base wage increases for wildland firefighters, I welcome Senator Tim Sheehy of Montana to discuss where we are. The House passed the Bill this week, and the Senate is expected to vote on it imminently. Will …

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Pausing funding for conservation impacts Great Salt Lake – plus sports shows the ending of an era?

4M ago

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On this airing of The Great Outdoors, Charlie Potter shares his concerns on the pause in conservation funding and how it will impact the Great Salt Lake, as well as whether it’s the end of an era for outdoor sports shows. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/7311208/7311208_2025-03-06-212808.128.mp3 Recent Posts The Great Outdoors with Charlie Potter M…

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Snow geese and their amazing population increases over the years

4M ago

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On this airing of The Great Outdoors, Charlie Potter shares an update on snow geese and their amazing population increases over the years. Plus, he explains why finding efficiencies for conservation spending is the next challenge. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/7299276/7299276_2025-02-26-200816.128.mp3 Recent Posts The Great Outdoors with Charlie…

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Golden Eagles Hotshot Justin DeMoss: The Hotshot Wellness Summit. Mental Health On And Off The Fireline. 59:08

4M ago59:08

59:08

On Today’s Show: To Subscribe 👇 https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ I welcome Justin DeMoss, current Golden Eagles Hotshot and of Hotshot Wellness. Justin is a dedicated humanitarian with a passion for improving physical, mental, and spiritual health. His mission is to help individuals achieve a better quality of life through holistic wellness. …

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Change at Departments of Agriculture and Interior is altering how they operate

4M ago

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On this airing of The Great Outdoors, Charlie Potter discusses how change at the United States Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Interior is altering how they operate for the country. Plus, he emphasizes the important role of conservation in the private sector. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/7290919/7290919_2025-02-20-215519.128…

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Getting Fire Ready: JJ Shelley Discusses The Importance Of Nutrition, Sleep, And Health Awareness On The Fireline. Former Marine Infantryman and Arizona Wildland Firefighter. 1:01:34

4M ago1:01:34

1:01:34

On Today’s Show: To Subscribe 👇 https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ The last time JJ was on the show, we discussed his study on fire lunches and their effects on the wildland firefighters’ bodies. Since then, he has been working with Hotshot Crews and other fire resources to set them up with the optimal plan to maintain nutrition and health pre,…

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Florida's Fire Season Is Here: Dr. Ludie Bond, PIO For The Florida Forest Service, Explains The Current Conditions On The Ground. 30:00

4M ago30:00

30:00

On Today’s Show: To Subscribe 👇 https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ Today, I welcome back Dr. Ludie Bond to discuss the already active Florida Fire season. Conditions across Florida are abnormally dry, and forests are starting to see fire activity they would typically see in March. The recent hurricanes also have impacted fuels, with large swath…

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The low country of South Carolina – a birders paradise

5M ago

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On this airing of The Great Outdoors, Charlie Potter shares the birders’ paradise of the low country of South Carolina, and the new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been announced. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/7284462/7284462_2025-02-15-193602.128.mp3 Recent Posts The Great Outdoors with Charlie Potter Microplastics found in d…

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Update On The Positions Lost Over The Last 48 Hours. NPS, DOI, FS. The Agencies have gone dark with all communications. 47:31

5M ago47:31

47:31

On Today’s Show: To Subscribe 👇 https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ Nearly 7,000 probationary employees were terminated in the last 48 hours across the land management agencies and park service. This included researchers at the Missoula Fire Lab, trails crews, biologists, and others. The agencies have yet to communicate on the terminations that …

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"What's That Pink Stuff?" A Conversation With The Vice Chairman Of Perimeter Solutions, The Sole Retardant Contract Company With The USFS. 45:01

5M ago45:01

45:01

On today’s show: To Subscribe 👇 https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ I have a conversation with Eddie Goldberg, Vice Chairman Of Perimeter Solutions. Perimeter Solutions holds the sole contract with the Forest Service for retardants and has operations around the globe. We discuss the testing that retardants undergo, their composition, the safety …

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Civility and respect for others will go a long way towards advancing conservation in America

5M ago

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On this airing of The Great Outdoors, Charlie Potter discusses how civility and respect for others will go a long way toward advancing conservation in the United States. Plus, take a drive and go back in time 150 years. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/7269604/7269604_2025-02-08-165404.128.mp3 Recent Posts The Great Outdoors with Charlie Potter Mic…

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A New Wildfire Agency, Massive Grant Cuts, And A Hiring Freeze. An update on all three. 46:05

5M ago46:05

46:05

On Today’s Show: To Subscribe 👇 https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ I cover the proposal for the new National Wildfire Fire Service. This has been discussed for decades, and an effort to finally streamline the wildfire bureaucracy now has bipartisan support. It would consolidate all fire agencies under one umbrella. The USDA sent out a policy em…

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The Louisiana marsh a critical ecosystem and central to our economy continues to be at great peril

5M ago

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On this airing of The Great Outdoors, Charlie Potter shares his concerns about the Louisiana marsh wetland ecosystem and what is threatening it. Plus, how to stay vigilant while bird flu is affecting migratory bird hunting. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/7208239/7208239_2025-01-30-202139.128.mp3 Recent Posts The Great Outdoors with Charlie Potter…

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Hiring Freezes, Funding Freezes, Resignation Offers, And Hypocrisy. How We Got To Where We Are Today. Yes, D.O.G.E. took over your Agency. 39:21

5M ago39:21

39:21

On today’s show: To Subscribe 👇 https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ Today, I cover all the wild reforms inside the wildfire agencies over the last week, how they happened, and why. It’s been a whirlwind of policy changes, website deletions, and top-level control of all IT and servers across the Departments. I even got a sneak peek at the current…

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Scotland and the future of bird hunting – what we can learn from it?

5M ago

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On this airing of The Great Outdoors, Charlie Potter shares a few thoughts on the future of bird hunting after returning from Scotland, and also discusses how bad the “bird flu” was this past fall. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/7168025/7168025_2025-01-24-234625.128.mp3 Recent Posts The Great Outdoors with Charlie Potter Microplastics found in do…

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Moving The Forest Service, A Wildland Firefighter Family Support Program, And Water Bombs. The Fix Our Forests Act 31:20

5M ago31:20

31:20

On today’s show: To Subscribe 👇 https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ I cover the President’s visit to the California wildfires, then dive into the Fix Our Forests Act, which passed the House this week and will likely pass the Senate. Inside this Act is a provision to determine if the Forest Service should be moved to a Western state out of Washin…

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California fires are devastating far beyond the loss of life and property

5M ago

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On this airing of The Great Outdoors, Charlie Potter discusses how the California fires are devastating far beyond the loss of life, property, and how it is a natural resource disaster as well – one that could have largely been avoided. Plus, dredging in Florida and what this means to the future of coastal fisheries. https://serve.castfire.com/audi…

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John Gould: 10 Tanker CEO, Alaska Fire Service Manager, Head Of Air Operations For The BLM, And Longtime Smokejumper. 1:12:32

6M ago1:12:32

1:12:32

On Today’s Show: To Subscribe 👇 https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ I speak with John Gould, one of the most respected voices in the wildfire industry. John’s career spans the wildfire world, including being a longtime Alaska Smokejumper, chair of the Federal Fire and Aviation Safety Team, head of Air Operations for the Bureau of Land Management…

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Orange County Fire Chief Brian Fennessy: What Needs To Change After These Historic California Fires. Resource ordering, issues with hydrants, aviation contracts, politics, and more. 56:41

6M ago56:41

56:41

On Today’s Show: To Subscribe 👇 https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ I spoke with Orange County Fire Chief Brian Fennessy about the recent fires in California and the changes needed in the aftermath. Chief Fennessy is the Chair of the Firescope Advisory Committee, which will meet next week to make recommendations to improve the current system and…

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Senator Tim Sheehy: After The Horrific Fires In California, We Need To Fix The Wildfire System To Support All Americans And Address Pay Issues For Our Firefighters. 25:22

6M ago25:22

25:22

On Today’s Show: To Subscribe 👇 https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/ With the tragedy of the Palisades and Eaton Fires in California over the last week, I sat down with Senator Tim Sheehy to discuss what needs to be done to ensure that this tragedy never happens again and make certain our wildland firefighters are supported. The Senator and I hav…