Female firefighter, watching for spot fires at the edge of a controlled forest fire. Smoke debris is falling from the sky. 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 remove combustible material from areas of land using hand tools and controlled fires. These areas are known as firebreaks and help to slow or halt the spread of the forest fire. Photographed in 2000 in Colorado, USA.