Fighting Forest Fires: Linda Strader on Breaking Barriers in the U.S. Forest Service

When Linda Strader joined a US Forest Service fire crew in the 1970s, she didn’t know how rare it was for women to do that kind of work - she just wanted an interesting job. But she quickly realized she was stepping into a world that didn’t necessarily welcome her. In this episode, Linda shares what it was like to be one of the first women on a fire crew, the discrimination she faced, and why she loved the work enough to keep coming back for seven seasons.

"I wasn't trying to prove anything to them. I just wanted to be accepted as part of the crew. And working twice as hard, I had hoped, would mean that they would accept me."

Hear Linda talk about:

• What a fire crew actually does beyond just battling flames
• How she got the job with no idea women weren’t “allowed”
• The hostility she faced from many coworkers and supervisors
• The physical and emotional toll of working to prove herself again and again
• Why she loved the job regardless of the hardships

Mentioned in this episode:

• Learn more about Linda's work on her website
• Linda's memoir, Summers of Fire: A Memoir of Adventure, Love and Courage by Linda Strader
• U.S. Forest Service
• Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
• Read more information about the Federal Women’s Program
• Learn more about the Catalina Hotshots

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