Crew History

The Thunderstrike Unit Crew acknowledges they operate on the traditional territory and home of the St’at’imc people.

Established in 1989 as a small, tight-knit team of 20 individuals, the crew has since flourished into something truly remarkable. From 1989 to 1991, the Thunderstrike Crew worked side by side in Seton Portage/Shalath before expanding into two offices — one in Shalath and one in Lillooet. In 2002, the crew came together under one roof at the Lillooet Zone Base, with a several dedicated members continuing to commute from Shalath. Their evolution from those early days to where they are now is a testament to their growth, teamwork and resilience.

Summers in Lillooet turn the terrain into one of the hottest and driest places in British Columbia. The landscape is a mix of steep, rocky hillsides, thick forests with brittle trees and open patches covered in sagebrush—fueling the fire like gasoline. Even the river valleys that provide water to combat wildfires are deep and difficult to navigate. The only thing they can count on is the intensity of the fire, racing up mountains and crashing into valleys without any clear rhyme or reason. Fighting a wildfire there is nothing short of brutal.

However, the Thunderstrike Unit Crew has become a master and steward of this place. They haul heavy gear up near vertical mountains while the wind pushes flames in unpredictable directions. The fire may be relentless and the terrain plays its own games, yet the Thunderstrike crew shows resilience—constantly testing their skill, endurance, and grit.

“One the few, one the proud, one of the best. Thunderstrike.”

2010

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For updates to this page please contact fireinfo@gov.bc.ca.