'Closest thing to war': Bulldozer drivers face fire dangers

This summer has been a difficult one for bulldozer operators who help firefighters stop the spread of flames.

Two bulldozer drivers have died this year fighting fires in Northern California.

Braden Varney was clearing a fire line near Yosemite National Park when his vehicle overturned and rolled down a ridge. Last week, Don Ray Smith was overtaken by fire near Redding.

FILE - In this Dec. 12, 2017 file photo provided by the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, a member of a Santa Barbara County Fire Crew keeps an eye on a bulldozer building a fire break in the hills above Bella Vista Drive in Montecito, Calif. Not all firefighters carry a hose or a shovel. The adrenaline junkies who steer heavy bulldozers across steep ridges face many dangers, from the flames themselves but also from unsteady dirt and rocky terrain. The dangers of the job were highlighted this year by the deaths of two dozer operators battling California wildfires this month. (Mike EliasonSanta Barbara County Fire Department via AP, File)

Drivers of so-called dozers are less visible firefighters but still take on extreme danger to protect homes and lives. They face hazards from smoke and flames but also from unsteady dirt and steep terrain that can flip them over.

Dozer drivers say they're acutely aware of the dangers they face. They do it for the thrill, the challenge, the good money and the chance to make a difference.

FILE - In this Dec. 17, 2017 file photo provided by the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, firefighters and a bulldozer from Santa Barbara County Fire watch from El Camino Cielo as a helicopter readies to make a water drop on a hot spot above Montecito, Calif. Not all firefighters carry a hose or a shovel. The adrenaline junkies who steer heavy bulldozers across steep ridges face many dangers, from the flames themselves but also from unsteady dirt and rocky terrain. The dangers of the job were highlighted this year by the deaths of two dozer operators battling California wildfires this month. (Mike EliasonSanta Barbara County Fire Department via AP, File)

Veteran U.S. pilot Kaillie Humphries Armbruster got her second two-woman World Cup bobsled win of the season on Sunday, shortly before German star Francesco Friedrich's streak of 48 consecutive medal-winning finishes on the circuit came to an end.

Humphries Armbruster teamed with Jasmine Jones to win by the slimmest of margins in bobsled — one one-hundredth of a second. They finished two runs at St. Moritz, Switzerland, in 2 minutes, 18.40 seconds, while the Swiss team of Melanie Hasler and Nadja Pasternack was second in 2:18.41.

Laura Nolte and Leonie Kluwig of Germany were third in 2:18.43. The 0.03-second margin between the three medal-winning sleds was the closest in a World Cup race since 0.02 seconds separated the top three finishers in a two-man race at Whistler, Canada, on Jan. 23, 2016.

It was the 32nd World Cup win for Humphries Armbruster and the first for Jones.

"I knew that Kaillie and I could do it with fast pushes and a great drive,” Jones said.

Kaysha Love and Emily Renna were eighth for the U.S. in the two-woman race, while Elana Meyers Taylor and rookie bobsledder Jadin O'Brien — a national champion in track at Notre Dame — were 10th.

In the four-man race, Friedrich drove his sled to a sixth-place finish — his lowest in a World Cup two- or four-man event since January 2023. He had 19 golds, 22 silvers and seven bronzes in that 48-race streak since; one of those golds was later taken away following sanctions against a German brakeman.

Instead, it was Adam Ammour of Germany driving to the win — the first four-man victory of his career. Johannes Lochner of Germany drove to second and Michael Vogt of Switzerland was third.

Frank Del Duca was 16th for the U.S., which will unveil its Olympic teams for the Milan Cortina Games next week.

USA Luge's women's doubles team of Chevonne Forgan and Sophia Kirkby are going to the Olympics. The Milan Cortina Games will be the first to include women's doubles as a medal event.

Only 11 sleds are going to the Olympics in women's doubles, primarily the top-ranked sled from each competing nation. That means the U.S. team of Maya Chan and Sophia Gordon — a contending sled all season with more than enough standings points to qualify — likely won't compete at the Olympics, unless some nations decline their spot in the Milan Cortina field.

Also Olympics-bound for the U.S.: the men's doubles teams of Marcus Mueller and Ansel Haugsjaa, plus 2022 Olympians Zack DiGregorio and Sean Hollander.

The team will be unveiled by USA Luge on Monday and likely to be officially nominated by the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee later this week.

In a World Cup women's doubles race at Winterberg, Germany, on Sunday, Jessica Degenhardt and Cheyenne Rosenthal from the host nation won in 1:26.710, followed by Selina Egle and Lara Kipp of Austria and Dajana Eitberger and Magdalena Matschina of Germany.

Germany also won the men's doubles World Cup race, with Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt prevailing in 1:25.599. Austria took silver and bronze; Thomas Steu and Wolfgang Kindl were second, Juri Gatt and Riccardo Schoepf were third.

Mueller and Haugsjaa were the top U.S. men's doubles sled, placing 10th.

Germany finished off a sweep of the day with a win in the team relay, with Austria second and Italy third. The U.S. was fourth.

Luge: World Cup men’s singles, women's singles Saturday at Oberhof, Germany.

Bobsled: World Cup monobob, two-man races Saturday at Altenberg, Germany.

Skeleton: Men’s, women’s and mixed World Cup races on Friday at Altenberg.

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Austria's Selina Egle and Lara Michaela Kipp race through the ice channel, during the Women's doubles 1st run, at the Luge World Cup, in Winterberg, Germany, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (David Inderlied/dpa via AP)

Juri Thomas Gatt, left, and Riccardo Schöpf of Austria celebrate their third place in the doubles men competition of the Luge World Cup in Winterberg, Germany, Sunday Jan. 11, 2026. (David Inderlied/dpa via AP)

Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt of Germany celebrate their victory in the doubles men competition of the Luge World Cup in Winterberg, Germany, Sunday Jan. 11, 2026. (David Inderlied/dpa via AP)

Kaillie Armbruster Humphries of the USA in action, during the Women's Mono-Bob World Cup, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (Mayk Wendt/Keystone via AP)

Kaillie Armbruster Humphries/Jasmine Jones o thef USA in action during the Women's 2-Bob World Cup, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (Mayk Wendt/Keystone via AP)