Note from Cody Almanza, graduate of Copper Mountain College Wildland Fire Academy #10, summer 2025, veteran, now working in the Umqua National Forest, Oregon:
This summer marked a major turning point in my career as I completed my wildland firefighting training and transitioned toward building a permanent life in Oregon.
After earning my S-130, S-190, L-180, and ICS-100/200 certifications, I was deployed to the Sunset Fire in Idaho, where I spent several days digging nearly three miles of handline with my crew. Much of our work took place at night, cutting hot line and staying constantly vigilant for snags—dead, burned-out trees that threatened to fall without warning.
I ran the Pulaski throughout the assignment, maintaining a steady rhythm even during long night shifts and steep, exhausting terrain. Later, working on the South Umpqua in Tiller, Oregon, I helped support suppression on rugged, forested ground shaped by deep drainages, thick brush, and lightning-sparked starts scattered across the district.
At times, we were so undermanned that it was just me and one or two others on the dig, building line and chasing multiple new fires at once. That experience—combined with the landscape of the Umpqua National Forest and the community around Tiller—solidified my decision to move to Oregon and pursue a permanent position with the U.S. Forest Service, where I could contribute to protecting the land and serve as part of a dedicated fire crew.
