Mendocino Hotshots History

1975 crew photo of the Mendocino Hotshots (links to a FlickR photostream)

1974

Like several other IHC’s the Mendocino Hotshots were established under the direction of Superintendent Bob Moore. During the first year the crew was split into two locations on the same district. Ten people were located in Alder Springs and ten were located approximately forty miles away, in Stonyford, due to facility constraints.

1975

All members were brought together and placed in Alder Springs, where they remained through the 1986 season.

1978

During the twelve years at Alder Springs the crew had two other men lead them. In 1978 Rusty Witwer took over as Superintendent for the 1978-79 seasons until he left to become the Hobart Hotshot Superintendent.

1980

During the remaining six seasons of the Alder Springs era the crew was led by Superintendent Jerry Barney (1980-1986).

1987

The crew was moved back to the base of the Coast Range in Stonyford, California. With the change in locations came a change in Superintendents. Larry Edwards was hired as Superintendent and remained in that position for the 1987 and part of the 1988 season.

1988

Don Will took over as Superintendent and led the crew through the remainder of its first 20 years. Don was the Superintendent for a total of six seasons and left the crew after the 1994 season.

1995

Bill Pierce was hired as the Superintendent. With this change in Superintendents came changes in the crew logo and crew colors. The Mendocino color went from blue to black in 1996. Bill remained superintendent thru the 2000 fire season.

2001

Due to lack of qualified supervision, the hotshot crew status was temporarily removed. Rich Rushforth detailed into the Superintendent position to keep the crew on and fighting fire. The traditional Mendocino Hotshot logo and colors of Navy blue were then brought back and it remains that way today.

Daren Dalrymple was hired as the Superintendent in October of 2001.

2002

Additional qualified, permanent overhead was hired before the 2002 season and the Interagency Hotshot crew status was regained with a lot of hard work and pride during the 2002 fire season.

Crew Superintendents