The Silent Mental Health Crisis on the Frontlines of Fire
June 25, 2025
A number of people working to improve conditions for wildland firefighters are veterans of the profession, but Justin Demoss took that path in reverse when he joined the Golden Eagles Hotshot crew based in El Cajon, California.
With a background in exercise science and strength and conditioning, Demoss wanted to shift his focus from athletes to first responders and use his knowledge to help support them in these demanding careers. “There’s this whole group of elite first responder hotshots in this wildfire spectrum that just are unsung heroes,” he says. “Not really getting any publicity, no fame, nobody knows about them, [and they’re] just putting down some of the most insane feats of human endurance that you could ever think of.”
After proving himself on a training hike, Demoss was invited to join the Golden Eagles for the 2024 season. As a rookie on the crew, Demoss knew he was at the bottom of the pecking order. Referred to as “the scientist,” he was often on the receiving end of teasing from his colleagues. But he developed close friendships within his crew. Relationship building, he believes, is the best way to build wellness support into wildland fire. And he understands why crews may not be receptive to outsiders coming in with big ideas.
“It’s a community that’s just been left behind in the grand scheme of things by the public, the government,” he says. “They’ve been underserved for the last 100 years that this has existed. Why wouldn’t you say fuck off to anyone who’s not in your shoes?”
Demoss, 26, says there is a physiological basis to many of the mental health struggles that can arise in wildland firefighting. The nature of the job, for example, makes it difficult to maintain nutrition, regular sleep and other routines supporting overall wellness. In his first season, he found that most crewmembers were open to discussing these ideas. But there was more reluctance in acknowledging personal need for attention.
“Maybe they [were] disassociating themselves from those concepts and almost in denial about what they themselves were suffering from,” he says. “And just like, ‘Oh, that’s great. I don’t need that shit though.’”
At the end of his first season, Demoss started posting social media content, drawing on his expertise and catering to the wildfire community. After connecting with others providing similar resources, they established a new nonprofit, Hotshot Wellness. While still in its early stages, the organization aims to connect wildland firefighters to resources that help support their holistic well-being and provide scholarships for personal development and educational opportunities.
Entering his second fire season this year, Demoss hopes to continue the conversation, planting seeds one at a time. “It’s a really tough field, but it’s very navigable in my opinion,” he says. “I think there’s a lot that can be done with the proper resources and tools and education.”
