Hello! My name is Megan Vaughn, and I am a Resources and Sustainability fellow in the Franke GLI Program. For my Global Challenge, I decided to focus on how government agencies are addressing climate change and adapting to it. When planning my Beyond the Classroom Experience, I wanted to design an experience that would allow me to learn more about my Global Challenge and gain first-hand work experience. During the Spring of 2025, I applied to become a Wildland Firefighter in Central Montana to learn more about the U.S. Forest Service. While working during the Summer of 2025, I have been able to experience some of the natural disasters caused by climate change and learn how government agencies (such as the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management) are managing natural resources. 

During the Summer of 2025, I worked as a Wildland Firefighter for the U.S. Forest Service in the Judith Musselshell Ranger District as part of the Helena-Lewis and Clark Forest. This is a picture of Stanford, Montana, where I was stationed for the summer. Although I had the opportunity to travel on assignments occasionally, this was my home district where I spent most of my time working. 

Despite being stationed in Stanford, MT, I have had the opportunity to also travel and work in other ranger districts across the country. During June, I was sent to Grants, NM, on a fire assignment with a couple of other members from my crew. This assignment was 14 days, not including the two days of travel to New Mexico and to Montana. The first seven days were spent on a severity assignment where we assisted the fire crew in Grants, NM, and served as a resource for any possible future fires. During this time, we were able to visit several areas of cultural importance that allowed us to learn more about the history and culture of New Mexico. 

This is a picture of the ruins at Chaco Canyon National Park. During our time in New Mexico, my crew took one of our travel days to visit cultural sites and learn more about the history of the area we were working in. 

After seven days, though, my crew was requested to assist with a fire complex in Los Lunas, NM. Working on this fire complex was a valuable opportunity because it allowed me to learn more about the diverse natural resources in the Southwest United States and experience interagency cooperation firsthand. The Desert Willow Complex threatened several homes and natural resources around the Rio Grande and was extremely close to a heavily populated area. Many federal and state organizations came together to handle the situation and prevented it from escalating quickly and causing additional damage. Although state resources managed operations, resources from federal and county agencies also cooperated with one another to prevent further destruction and protect the remaining natural resources. 

Engaging with a different culture and environment on this assignment shifted my perspective on the culture I am accustomed to in Montana and allowed me to learn more about the environment in the New Mexico area. History and cultural identity, for example, play an important role in rural communities, such as Grants, NM. Natural resources are also managed differently in the Southwest United States compared to the Northern Rockies region, since there are several different fuel types in each respective area. 

This is a picture of the Cibola National Forest from the La Mosca lookout near Grants, NM. The fuel types in the region include timber, sage brush, and grass lands. 

This experience provided me with a large array of diverse perspectives surrounding climate change and managing natural resources. For example, a common argument is that climate change is causing wildfires to become more destructive and wildfire seasons to last longer. Although rising temperatures and shifting weather patterns are contributing to the change in fire behavior, they are not the only factors. Over time, efforts to protect forests have prevented large areas from experiencing wildfires for many years. This has caused large regions to become severe fire hazards and allowed smaller wildfires to begin expanding rapidly once they are started. Fuels that have not been burned or thinned for many years are contributing to the growth of wildfires and allowing them to expand beyond containment efforts. 

This experience has tremendously improved my leadership ability as I have been able to frequently incorporate my leadership skills into daily tasks. Working on the fire line has allowed me to learn how to take initiative when action is needed and rely on those around me to support the mission at hand. Engaging with diverse crews from across the nation on each new incident has allowed me to gain a new perspective on interagency cooperation and different leadership styles from across the United States. Staffing a small crew has also allowed me to improve my communication skills, as it has been necessary for me to communicate clearly and effectively with those around me to improve my situational awareness and ensure the safety of my coworkers. Taking action, engaging with different groups of people, and communicating effectively are all important aspects of leadership. This experience has shown me areas for improvement in my leadership style while also allowing me to continue developing as a leader and prepare to return to Missoula this upcoming Fall.  

I have gained an extended understanding of natural resources, agency management, and environmental values from my Beyond the Classroom Experience. However, my time working as a wildland firefighter has also made me more curious about the management of other natural resources. My experience required me to focus on different types of terrain and fuels, such as mountains, timber, desert, brush, grasslands, etc. But after working around these fuel types, I am interested to learn how different climates affect fuels found across the United States and how fire crews in other regions of the globe are responding to climate change. 

Overall, I am extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in this incredible Beyond the Classroom Experience. My time spent working for the U.S. Forest Service has forever changed how I view my surroundings and completely reshaped who I am today.