Hot shots ready to hike into Arrowbear

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Two 21-man U.S. Forest Service crews -- the Feather River Hot Shots and the Breckenridge Hot Shots -- sipped boxed Starbucks coffee in the parking lot of Blondie’s Grille & Bar in Arrowbear, waiting for water-dropping planes to clear the way for them to hike in and build a containment line with their saws and pulaskis (a combination ax and pick, used to clear brush).

Jason Foreman, lead saw on the Breckenridge Hot Shots, said the clouds of smoke signified “the buildup” and the peak burn period of the day.

-- Maeve Reston in Arrowbear