Photo by lynseyaddario / calfire firefighter Melissa Bell, 36, from Livermore, California, works the saw while helping to mop up a hot spot on the Dixie fire outside Susanville, on August 26. Says Bell, who wanted to be a firefighter from the age of eight and has been with Cal Fire for seven seasons: “When I first started out, I had some struggles, but the important thing is how you're going to adapt and overcome. How bad do you want it? And with anything, if you want it bad enough, you'll train hard for it. It is a very physically demanding job. So it's not just only about physical fitness but also nutrition too, and staying healthy for the longevity of the career is so important. And the exposures that we get from different aspects of our job, whether it's vehicle fires, structure fires, vegetation fires, wearing the proper PPE, staying physically fit, and nutrition, are huge.” Shot with a grant for insidenatgeo #Dixie #CALFIRE u.s.forestservice