Firefighters Turn Up the Heat for Calendar

Firefighters are almost mythic heroes in the American imagination, especially since 9/11. We everyday schmoes like to gaze on them and admire their athleticism and discipline. The same could be said for ballet dancers.

At least, that’s what we’re guessing the folks at the Firefighters Burn Institute and Sacramento Ballet were thinking when they joined forces for a 2012 "Dance on Fire" fundraising calendar featuring members of both professions.

It’s an equal-opportunity project, with both men and women from Sacramento area fire departments—including the —eligible to pose alongside the delicate gazelles from the ballet.

We have many questions about this. (Will they pose together or separately? Will there be fire engines and involved?) But we guess we'll just have to wait for the final product.

In the meantime, calendar candidates have posted their photos online, and supporters can pay $2 per vote to help decide who makes it into the spread. Proceeds will benefit both organizations.

You can vote for your favorite CFD hotties by clicking here. (Dancer contestants can be found on a separate page.)

The contest runs through August 22.