Firefighter. Firefighter waters down a firebreak. This firefighter is part of an elite crew of US firefighters known as 'hotshots'. They respond to fires rapidly and employ a variety of ground and air techniques to manage forest fires. Firefighters on the ground carry hand tools such as shovels and pulaski axes to clear areas of land, known as firebreaks, in an attempt to halt the spread of the fire. Fire spots can arise on either side of the firebreak, so methods such as cooling the edge vegetation with water, are used. Photographed in 2000 at Lolo National Forest, Montana, USA.