In The Sticks

Each year, close to 50 men and women graduate from the Rio Hondo Wildland Fire Academy in Whitter, California, starting careers as wildland firefighters.

While it’s easy to assume that the recruits are drawn to wildfire fighting by its emphasis on traditional tropes of masculinity, such as physical strength, scrappiness and heroics, the reality is more complicated than that.

Photographer Christian Monterrosa spent three months with men who recently graduated from Rio Hondo, learning their stories. Many said they were driven by complex situations, from wanting to provide for their families, to dreaming of doing meaningful work for society. Their ranks included ex-gang members, military veterans and recent immigrants.

“I do it for my kids,” explained one graduate, Franco Barahona, whose wife, Jessica, gave birth to their third child, Samson, a day after his graduation. “I want them to grow up and be proud of me.”