Kelly Ramsey isn’t your typical firefighter. As the only woman on an elite 20-person hotshot crew, she has battled some of California’s most destructive wildfires. They are blazes that reshaped landscapes, threatened communities and tested the physical and emotional endurance of even the most seasoned crews. But Ramsey wasn’t just fighting flames, she was searching for something deeper: belonging.
(Listen to the full conversation between Crystal Thornton and Kelly Ramsey in the podcast below)
“A hotshot crew is often considered kind of like the special forces of wildland firefighting,” Ramsey explains. “They're an elite crew that's pretty competitive. You have to do a lot of special training in order to be qualified.”
That training is intense. Hotshots must run a mile and a half in under 10 minutes and 30 seconds, complete a high number of pull-ups and push-ups, and carry heavy gear through rugged, often unpredictable terrain. It’s a job that demands grit, resilience, and unwavering mental focus.
What drew this seemingly unlikely candidate to such a challenging path? Her turning point came in the summer of 2019, working for the U.S. Forest Service as a trail maintenance worker and wilderness ranger.
“I lived in a government barracks with a bunch of women who were firefighters,” she recalls. “I saw them, I saw their muscles, their heavy leather fire boots and uniforms. They'd leave for two-week assignments, come back smelling like wood smoke, covered in ash—but they looked fulfilled.”
Their strength stirred something inside her. “I’ve never felt particularly strong,” she admits. “But I wanted to be strong like that.”
Now, in her powerful new memoir "Wildfire Days," Ramsey shares more than just fire-line tactics. She opens up about a past shaped by personal pain and the long road toward healing.
“The book is about wildfire, but it also is about my childhood, my relationship with my father,” she says. “It’s really a story about family—and about trying to find where you belong in the world.”
Ramsey’s message speaks to anyone who’s ever felt like an outsider.
“For anyone who has searched the world trying to find somewhere to belong, this is a story for you,” she says.
And as fire season ramps up across the western U.S., Ramsey also wants people to be prepared—physically, mentally, and practically.
Kelly Ramsey’s Top Fire Season Prep Tips
1. Create Defensible Space
Protect your home by clearing 100 feet around it in all directions:
- Remove brush, leaves, and debris—especially near structures
- Trim trees so they don’t touch your roof
- Cover exterior vents to keep embers out
- Consider fire-resistant building materials (metal roofs, non-wood siding)
2. Prepare a “Go Bag” Before Fire Season Peaks
Keep essentials ready to grab at a moment’s notice:
- Phone + charger, ID/passport, medications
- A change of clothes, pajamas, and a warm blanket
- Sentimental items: family photos, keepsakes, meaningful letters
3. Stay Alert to Red Flag Warnings
On high-risk days:
- Stay close to home
- Keep your go bag with you
- Do a quick check of your defensible space
4. Get Involved in Community Fire Safety
- Join or support your local fire safe council
- Advocate for firebreaks and prescribed burning (visit intentionalfire.org)
- Support organizations like Grassroots Wildland Firefighters
Ramsey’s frontline experience gives her advice added urgency. “California’s fire seasons are becoming more severe, longer, and more destructive,” she warns. “Preparation saves lives.”
Whether she's wielding a Pulaski tool or penning her memoir, Kelly Ramsey continues to inspire with a message of courage, resilience, and rediscovery.
“Even in the hardest moments—when you’re standing in the ash or feeling like you don’t belong—there’s always a way forward,” she says. “And sometimes, that fire you walk through is what forges your strength.”