Brian Hughes

On July 29, 2018, Captain Brian Hughes of the National Park Service Arrowhead Interagency Hotshots was killed while engaged in firefighting operations on the Ferguson Fire in the Sierra National Forest near Yosemite National Park. Operating in an area with a large amount of tree mortality, he was struck by a smoldering tree. Despite an immediate response and treatment, he died at the scene. He had served as a wildland firefighter for 15 years, and as Captain of the Arrowhead Hotshots for four years. He was 33 years old at the time of his death. 

Hughes was born in Hilo, Hawaii and grew up near Akaka Falls. As a child, he loved being outdoors, swimming, surfing and playing sports. In high school, he was a star athlete in varsity soccer, track, and cross-country. He started a yard business at age 13 to save money to buy a car. It was a booming success and taught him many lessons, including setting goals and working hard to achieve those goals. He learned to be self-reliant in the wilderness while on outdoor adventures. His career goal was always to become a firefighter. His 15-year career began in Colorado, serving two years with the Larimer County Yellow Jackets, an emergency fire and rescue unit in Fort Collins. In 2006, he joined the Midnight Sun Hotshots in Alaska, and then the Roosevelt Hotshots, from 2007 – 2009. In 2010, he joined the Monterey Hand Crew on the Los Padres National Forest with the goal of building that crew to hotshot status. He completed every task book and worked in multiple positions to get captain experience. After four years, he joined the Bureau of Land Management in Alaska as a specialist. Hughes moved to Squaw Valley, California in March 2015 and assumed the title of Captain of the Arrowhead Hotshots, an elite 20-member crew with the National Park Service based at the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park. As a trusted leader and mentor to his crew, he led by example, inspiring others to train hard, develop their skills, and understand how and why things are done the way they are. He intuitively grasped big-picture strategies and was able to break these down into actionable steps. His crew looked up to him as one of the best, a pillar of strength, and loved him like a brother. He was a man of integrity who always put others first. He was positive, funny, brave, and selfless. 

 Captain Brian Hughes is survived by his fiancée, Paige Miller, his daughter, Sawyer Hughes, who was born after her father’s death, his parents, Peter and Suen Hughes, his sister, Meriel, and many other cherished family members and friends. 

The Tunnel to Towers Foundation has paid off the mortgage on the Hughes family home through the Fallen First Responder Home Program.