Firefighters. Firefighters digging a firebreak. These firefighters are 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 from combustible materials. These areas are known as firebreaks and help to slow or halt the spread of the fire. Photographed in 2001 at Hells Canyon, Oregon, USA.