Pacific Southwest Region | Smokejumpers

Rookie training is designed to teach Rookie Smokejumper candidates what they need to know in order to safely, efficiently, and effectively perform the job of a Smokejumper. Rookie training lasts a minimum of 6 weeks, depending on weather and other factors.

Rookies are expected to arrive, already in excellent physical shape, and as a condition of hire, be prepared to pass the physical training (PT) test minimum standards on the first day of rookie training. The PT test is the minimum standard. Due to the extreme rigor and cumulative physical output expected throughout rookie training a candidate's success depends on the ability to far exceed the minimums standards.

7 Pull ups 25 Pushups 45 Sit ups 1.5 mile Run in 11 minutes 110 pound pack out:; 3 miles in 90 minutes 45 pound work capacity test: 3 miles in 45 minutes. If you have questions about smokejumper positions, please contact Gerald Spence at 530-226-2888.

What to expect during Rookie Training Six Smokejumpers pose with their very large packs.

Only a small group of people are selected each year to become smokejumpers. Individuals are chosen for this position based on their abilities, character and proven performance. It is an opportunity that very few people get.

The rookie training program is designed to train safe and effective smokejumpers. Rookie training is designed to prepare rookie smokejumper candidates with the necessary mental fortitude, logic and reasoning skills, and physical capacity to succeed in highly dynamic and arduous work environments. The Forest Service invests time, effort, and money to train rookie smokejumpers. Success requires candidates to put forth their best effort.

California Smokejumper rookie training typically starts the beginning of April, and is 6 weeks long.

Rookies are evaluated on team attitude, ability to learn, and performance. There is no down time during rookie training. Due to the large amount of information and field exercises that need to be completed, candidates should expect long days of both mental and physical outputs.

The primary job of a Smokejumper is to fulfill the Smokejumper mission. Consequently, each candidate must become a qualified professional Smokejumper. If during the training it is determined that a rookie can not safely perform the job, that candidate will be dropped from the program.

A typical day during rookie training: Morning physical training (PT) session which includes calisthenics and/or running Classroom time covering topics such as parachute manipulation, tree climbing, CPR/First Aid Pre-field exercise briefings and post exercise debriefings. Typically the day will end with an afternoon PT session of more calisthenics and/or running. Candidates are expected to stay flexible throughout rookie training, as things can quickly change. Field Exercises Field exercises are designed to provide smokejumper candidates the skills needed to manage the diverse situations encountered during smokejumper operations.

tree climbing cross-cut and chainsaw use map and compass mock airplane exits and landings leadership exercises. Smokejumper Units Training Before rookie candidates are allowed to make their first practice jump, candidates must successfully pass through the smokejumper units training.

pre-jump aircraft procedures how to correctly exit (jump) from the airplane, how to safely perform a parachute landing fall (PLF). Photograph of a Smokejumper at the exit door of the jump plane in flight.Only after receiving a passing grade for each unit from the rookie trainers, will candidates be allowed to begin making practice jumps.

Rookies are required to successfully make 15 practice jumps into a variety of jump spots, which increase in difficulty with each successful jump.

Rookie candidates are constantly evaluated throughout all of rookie training, if it is determined that a candidate can not safely perform the job, the candidate will be dropped from the program.

The foundation of the Smokejumper program is the safe, effective and quick delivery of firefighters. Therefore, aircraft is one of the most critical elements of Smokejumping.

Lockheed Lodestar

In 1957, the first fire jump for the California Smokejumpers was made out of a Lockheed Lodestar. The Lockheed Lodestar was powered by two 9-cylinder radial air-cooled engines providing a top cruise speed of 207 knots and a range of 1653 miles. Originally designed for commercial flights, the Lodestar was frequently flown by the Air Force in the 1940’s. After the war, the Lodestar returned to civilian service and eventually found its way in to the Smokejumper program.

Beech Craft Model 18

During the fire season of 1957, several fires were jumped from the Twin Beech. The Beech craft Model 18, or "Twin Beech", as it was better known, is a 6-8 smokejumper, 450 horse twin-engine, low-wing, tail-wheel aircraft with a cruising speed of 191 knots and is jumped from a sit-down position. It was manufactured by the Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas.

DC-3

In the following season, the DC-3 made its way into the Redding aircraft rotation and, along with the Twin Beech, became the primary aircraft in 1959. Also known as the Doug, the DC-3 is the largest aircraft in California Smokejumper history and can hold 18 jumpers. The Doug is jumped from a stand-up position, has an average flight speed of 174 knots, and with the max payload can cover a 400 mile radius. Although a turbulent aircraft, the Doug became a favorite to many jumpers for its spacious 215 square foot floor and large door which allows for a vigorous exit.

DeHavilland Twin Otter

Starting in 1974, and lasting into the early 90’s, two DeHavilland Twin Otter (DHC-6) were used to transport Redding smokejumpers to fires. The Twin Otter is a highly maneuverable, STOL (short take-off and landing) aircraft which can be flown slowly (80-160 knots/150-300 km/hr) and in tight circles, which makes it ideal for smokejumper operations. The Twin Otter is able to cover approximately 360 miles between fuel stops.

Sherpa 330

Around 1991, one of six Shorts 330 Sherpa’s purchased by the USDA from the military, replaced one of the Twin Otters used in Redding. The Sherpa 330 is made by the Shorts Brothers in Northern Ireland and is known as a flying wing because of its unique, aerodynamic body shape. The Sherpa has a cruise speed of 160 knots, carries up to 10 jumpers and is jumped from a stand-up position. It has a range of approximately 300 miles and is currently still used at Redding. In 2001 one Otter was switched out with a DC-3, which was contracted for five years to accommodate a larger than normal number of jumpers. The Doug was then replaced by the Dornier 228 in 2006 which, along with the Sherpa, made up Redding’s aircraft resources for the next five years.

Dornier 228

The Dornier was contracted through Bighorn Airways, and was the smaller of the two planes based at Redding. It carries 8 jumpers and requires jumpers to use a "step exit." Although smaller, the Dornier is faster than the Sherpa with a cruise speed of 200+ knots, and has a range of approximately 375 miles depending on the load. For the 2017 season the Smokejumper fleet will consist of the Sherpa, the Dornier and occasionally the Twin Otter.

Standard orders (MREs and drinking water) can be prepared in about 2 hours. Refer to our Response Time Maps for flight time. Non-standard loads (think fresh food) can usually be prepared in about 4 hours.

How do I communicate with the plane once it gets to me?

You will be able to talk to the Para-cargo crew on the Air-to-Ground frequency assigned to the fire or R-5 Air-to-Ground.

What information will the plane need from me when they arrive?

The flight crew will need to know where you would like the cargo dropped and if the drop zone is clear of personnel and equipment.

What are the requirements for the drop-zone?

For a general guideline, see page 59 of your IRPG. In good conditions, we can usually deliver to an opening about the size of a basketball court.

What if my drop zone is surrounded by tall timber?

When you place your order, let dispatch know that your drop zone is in timber. Tree climbers will be on board and will be available and fully equipped to retrieve cargo for you.

What if my cargo lands in a tree?

When delivering cargo to areas where there is a possibility of cargo landing in trees, tree climbers will be on board and will be available and fully equipped to retrieve cargo for you.

How much can I order?

You can order as much as you want. If your order exceeds our aircraft's weight or bulk limitations, we will make additional trips as necessary.

What are the weather related limitations?

Para-Cargo can only be delivered if the pilot can see the drop zone. Fog and inversion can limit pilot visibility. Thunderstorms in the area may delay delivery as well.

What about cost?

Costs are mainly flight time of the aircraft and wages for the flight crew. Aircraft flight time cost varies from plane to plane. More specific cost information is available to fire managers. Contact us for more info.

Is it mandatory to staff the drop zone?

It is strongly advised and preferred that drop zones be staffed, however if it is absolutely necessary, we can deliver to an un staffed drop-zone.

What about HAZ-MAT?

We are able to deliver large quantities of the usual HAZMAT you see on a fire including fuel, fusees, firing devices, and so on.

How do I return equipment to the smokejumper base?

It is the ordering units responsibility to return parachutes and box harnesses to the Smokejumper base in Redding.

How the California Smokejumpers Began

The first fire jump in California was made on the Klamath National Forest in 1944 by smokejumpers from Cave Junction, Oregon. In 1945, Paul Stathem, supervisor of the Sequoia National Forest in southern California, mobilized smokejumpers from the Siskiyou Smokejumper Base to respond to fires. According to Paul, smokejumpers left Cave Junction early in the evening in a Noorduyn Norseman, but it took them all night to fly to the Sequoia, because of the required oil and publicity stops.

After Stathem became supervisor of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, he launched a campaign to attain a permanently based California Smokejumper Crew. Formal approval was given for the project in 1956. During the winter of 1956-57, plans were formulated for the organization, training and housing of the new crew.

In March 1957, Regional personnel from forest service regions five (California) and six (Oregon) met. These regional managers would "... firm up plans for the activation of the Redding Jump Base to determine the best way of moving facilities from the Cave Junction Base to Redding..." A committee was formed to over see the implementation of the project. It was decided that the smokejumpers based at Cave Junction would receive all the training for 1957 and that region five personnel should immediately begin plans to layout and construct their own training facilities as soon as possible. Already apparent to the planners was the fact that, "the site for all of this training material may require more room than we have here in Redding, and...these devices will have to be built at the Redding Airport."

Transcripts indicate that training was of primary concern, and in addition to physical conditioning and smokejumper training, it was expected that jumper training candidates would participate in a, "training program similar to that prepared for a Guard Training Camp," including such subjects as woodsmanship, small fire suppression, fire behavior, crew action on fires, safe practices and snag felling. A training plan for the use of helicopters was devised and plans were made to use the Klamath helicopter at Cave Junction for this purpose.

Stathem traveled to the Region 1 Smokejumper Base in Missoula, Montana to screen candidates for the California foreman job, and selected Fred Barnowsky to head the first region 5 smokejumper crew. Barnowsky arrived in Redding in early spring to assume his duties, and began planning for the upcoming season. After completing the refresher training as scheduled in Cave Junction, three overhead and six other experienced jumpers were sent to Redding on the previously agreed date of June 15th, and together with Barnowsky formed the core of the first crew. New man training commenced at the Siskiyou Smokejumper Base and continued through mid July with thirty rookies receiving instruction. The new man training session was completed on Friday, July 12th, and fifteen of these men moved to Redding that afternoon. Bob Kersh, the Region V parachute technician rounded out the contingent as loft foreman.

The unit was administratively attached to the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, and housed in federal buildings in downtown Redding off of Parkview Drive. The first fire jump for the California Smokejumpers - a four manner - was out of a Lockheed Lodestar, July 19, 1957, on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. The four jumpers making this jump were Warren Webb, Hal Werner, Fritz Koepp and Vern Lattin.

Utilization of the region 5 crew was concentrated primarily on the Shasta-Trinity, but jumps were also made on the Klamath, Mendocino, Lassen, Sequoia and Six Rivers National Forests in Northern California. Out-of-region trips included dispatches to the Toiyabe National Forest in Nevada and the Siskiyou National Forest in Oregon, resulting in an active and exciting first year for the California unit. Totals for Redding were twenty-six smokejumpers making 139 fire jumps (10 made by out-of-region personnel) on twenty-four fires. Charles Engstrom and Dennis Bradley each logged sixteen parachute jumps - highs for the season.

Parachutes have been used for dropping supplies and equipment to firefighters since at least 1925, but the concept of delivering personnel is isolated fire locations was untested until the mid 1930's. As early as 1916, however, Herbert L. Adams of Sommerville, Massachusetts procured patents, "On a parachute that he claimed could be steered by manipulation of the shroud lines." John W. Cawdery, an Englishman, attached guidelines to the lateral flaps, and Ivar Malmer of Stockholm, Sweden, Richard H. Hart of New Orleans and Leslie Irvin added greatly to the body of knowledge concerning the behavior and controllability of parachutes. Consequently, even before the first U.S. Forest Service sponsored tests, there was irrefutable evidence that available parachutes, "were reasonably safe from malfunction and steerable to a limited degree."

In 1934, T.V. Pearson of the Intermountain Region of the Forest Service... proposed and initiated the first experiments in the use of parachutes for the transportation of firefighters. A few demonstrations were made by a professional (J.B. Bruce), but the idea was abandoned as being too risky." Under the direction of David P. Goodwin, smokejumper experiments were conducted on the Chelan National Forest near Winthrop, Washington in 1939. Beach Gill of the Eagle Parachute Company worked as a consultant, Lage Wernstedt represented the regional office and Harold King served as Forest Service pilot. Professional jumpers with Frank Derry in charge conducted a number of dummy tests and approximately sixty live jumps were made. Most of the parachute jumps were made by employees of the Eagle Parachute Company. However, several Forest Service employees were allowed to jump into both open fields and timbered areas as the tests progressed.

These efforts proved that men could land safely in rugged, forested terrain. Using procedures developed from the tests, the Forest Service in 1940 trained sixteen people who had volunteered for parachuting jumping. "Additional experimental work was planned, but after some initial work and before the season ended the men were making practical rather than test jumps, parachuting to fires in inaccessible areas, and promptly controlling them." Reflecting on the 1940 season, Earl Cooley was later to write:

One key smokechaser was selected from each of seven forests in R-1 to carry on the experimental smokejumper program. Each of these men were to be single and between the ages of twenty-one and twenty-five. Rufus Johnson was selected from the Nezperce, Jim Alexander from the Old Cabinet, Jim Waite from the Clearwater, Dick Lynch from the Flathead, Earl Cooley from the Bitterroot, Leonard Hamilton from the Lolo and Bill Bolen from the Kootenai. These men were to take the smokejumper training at the Seely Lake Ranger Station.

This group of men under the supervision of Frank and Chet Derry formed the nucleus of the first smokejumper crew in Region 1. The Derry brothers trained one squad of jumpers at Winthrop and then went over to Missoula and trained three more squads. "...When Frank Derry, our instructor, hung up an Eagle parachute in a tree and gathered the crew around him, he said, 'this is the apex of the chute, these are the load lines and tomorrow we jump.'...and tomorrow we jumped! This was the extent of our conditioning; however, we had all been working on trail crews and were in good shape."

The first two successful fire jumps were made by Rufus Johnson, Kooski, Idaho and Earl Cooley, Hamilton, Montana on July 12, 1940 when they jumped the Martin Creek Fire on the Nezperce National Forest. During the remainder of 1940, twelve smokejumpers made 99 fire jumps to effectively establish a viable smokejumper program. The Forest Service decided that parachuting men to fires was a viable alternative to the existing modes of travel and time consuming initial attack procedures. The time saving potential in reaching a fire might conceivably be measured in days, dollars saved in suppression costs in the thousands of dollars and watershed and timberland saved from destruction would be considerable.

Military staff officers visited the smokejumper training camp in 1940, and many of the Forest Service ideas and methods were later employed in organizing the Army paratrooper training at Fort Benning, Georgia. The Army relied heavily on the smokejumper program during World War II as the military worked to develop an effective airborne contingent.

Building on the effectiveness of these early efforts, the first parachute facility was established by the U.S. Forest Service at the Winthrop Ranger Station in the Methow Valley, Washington state. Region I followed closely by constructing facilities at Seely Lake and later at the Nine Mile Station. The early 1940's saw continued expansion and development of the new smokejumper program.

World War II, however, caused serious problems for the new program. In addition to the shortage of parachutes, the lack of manpower reached a critical stage. Fortunately, Region I, IV and VI began to receive numerous inquiries about employment from Conscientious Objectors to the war. By 1943, the Forest Service began to actively recruit Civilian Public Service enrollees, and 62 candidates were selected for smokejumper training. The Mennomite, Brethern and Friends Churches supplied the majority of the recruits. In 1944, The Forest Service went directly to the headquarters of the Selective Service System and the National Service Board for Religious Objectors, and arranged to retain all of the trained Civilian Public Service volunteers who elected to remain with the program. Sixty percent of this group was given refresher training, and fifty more were selected and added to the various smokejumper projects.

The last of the "war years," 1945, was marked by further expansion in the smokejumper project; crews were bolstered, and the most severe fire season since the inception of the program ensued. In Regions I, IV, V and VI, jumpers were used on 269 fires with a total of 1,236 individual jumps. The 555th Battalion of Black paratroopers were also trained by Missoula Smokejumpers at Pendleton, Oregon, in timber jumping and fire suppression to combat Japanese balloon fires. After training, the 300 paratroopers were used as auxiliary suppression crews on large fires through out the Pacific Northwest.

1945 was especially significant, because, while smokejumping had been regarded as successful for a number of years, "This was the first season in which its importance was fully documented." The program had demonstrated considerable effectiveness and resulted in large savings in fire suppression costs. It had proven to be a concrete economical substitute for costly installations and the training and suppression problems of a widespread "back country" fire organization. Armed with this evidence and the knowledge of the program's flexibility, the Forest Service acted to expand the smokejumper concept to eventually provide coverage for most National Forest Land in the western United States.

In 1943, bases were added at McCall, Idaho and Cave Junction, Oregon to further cut transportation time and suppression costs in those areas. 1951 saw crews established at West Yellowstone, Montana and Grangeville, Idaho to provide extended coverage for the Region I forests, and a detail was organized in 1954 to operate out of Silver City, New Mexico on a seasonal basis during Region III's fire season. The Idaho City Smokejumper Base was created in 1954 and operated there until it was moved to Boise, Idaho in 1969. This crew consisted of two smokejumper squadleaders who were permanent forest officers, and seventeen jumpers and a foreman. A smokejumper crew had been spiked out at Idaho City since 1948 when Smoky Stover lost a coin flip with Wayne Webb and took the unwanted detail; names were drawn from a hat to fill out the crew roster. The California Smokejumper Base was organized in 1957 to finally provide coverage and capability on a regular basis in Region V. Redmond and LaGrande, Oregon established bases in 1964 and 1974. The Bureau of Land Management based a crew in Fairbanks, Alaska in 1959, and another crew operated out of Anchorage for a short time in late 1960's. As of 1979, 540 smokejumper positions were funded and eleven bases were in regular operation with full support facilities.

The first parachute used by smokejumpers was a flat 30 foot hand deployed canopy with lobes of steering; a 27 foot steerable reserve chestpack completed the system. The reserve utilized two split cable pins extending downward from the handle and inserted into a pocket on the top center of the pack for quick deployment. Both parachutes were manufactured by the Eagle Parachute Company of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. In 1941, a static line deployment system was developed and added to the Eagle. This basic method of deployment has continued in use up to the present time.

America's entry into World War II created a shortage of the Eagle manufactured parachutes, and the Forest Service was forced to look elsewhere for a certain supply. Frank Derry, who had operated a parachute loft at old Mines Field (now Lost Angeles International Airport) and was formerly employed by Eagle as the West Coast distributor of their parachutes, began working to improve the canopy design in hopes that he could develop a parachute that would offer more maneuverability and directional control. Having made some of the first experimental jumps for the Forest Service as an Eagle employee, Derry drew on his knowledge and experience, and experimented until he developed two steering slots. Between 1945 and 1954, a 28 foot flat circular canopy with the seven foot "Derry slots" were used by the smokejumpers. These parachutes were manufactured by the Irvin Parachute Company. Don Whitmarsh was the person to jump the Derry slotted parachute when smokejumpers parachuted to the Paloma Mountain Fire in Idaho during the summer of 1942. Jim Waite, one of the original smokejumpers, worked with the new design through 1945, and actually developed prototypes for the FS-5A, a 32 foot parachute with ten foot slots and tails. The FS-2 was utilized by the smokejumpers until 1956 when the FS-5A was finally placed in service.

The FS-10, a 35 foot parabolic canopy was introduced by the Forest Service in 1970. Improved features included a faster forward speed (approximately 10 mph) and increased 360 degree turning speed (6-9 seconds). This parachute had the added feature of some braking capability, but opened somewhat slower than the FS-5A. Anti-inversion netting was added to the canopy in 1977 to prevent full and partial inversions which often resulted in line over malfunctions. Used through the decade of the 1970's, the FS-10 demonstrated considerable merit, but descent rates were determined to be too rapid, particularly in high temperatures and at excessive elevations. In the late 1970's, an attempt was made to modify the FS-10 canopy by Missoula Equipment Development and a private contractor, but after substituting different porosity material in the canopy and making several experimental jumps at Marana, Arizona, the effort was abandoned. Further modifications on the once used FS-5A were initiated. With input from Loft Foremen from various smokejumper bases, Frank Sanders and Jim Cyr devised a new parachute model, and it is presently being tested in the field by smokejumpers in Alaska and the lower forty-eight. Designated the XP-5, the new parachute also has the anti-inversion netting sewn to the canopy skirt, but has 32 gores and extended steering slots. As designed, it provides a faster forward speed (estimated at 13 mph), more maneuverability, a slower descent rate (because of differing porosities of material used in canopy construction), and full braking capabilities.

Chronology of Forest Service Parachutes

FS-1 FS-2 FS-3 FS-3A FS-4 FS-5 FS-5A FS-6 FS-8 FS-9 FS-10 FS-10(R) FS-11 XP-5 FS-12 FS-12R FS-14

1934 The earliest use of aircraft by the U.S. Forest Service took place in 1917, when aircraft were used in California for detection of wildland fires. During the 1920s various attempts were made to drop water and foam on wildland fires, using such devices as five-gallon cans, paper bags, and wooden beer kegs attached to parachutes. These early experiments met with little success. During this same period, occasional non-emergency parachute jumps were being made by the military and a few thrill-seeking barnstormers. In 1934, a proposal was made to use aircraft and parachutes to transport firefighters to wildland fires. A professional parachutist made a few demonstration jumps, but Forest Service leaders were unimpressed.

1935 The Forest Service established the Aerial Fire Control Experimental Project in California, and experimented with dropping water and chemicals on wildland fires. Although the retardants tested proved impractical, the improvements made in delivery of cargo by parachute helped set the stage for later experiments with parachute jumping.

1939 The Aerial Fire Control Experiment moved from California to Winthrop, Washington, and was directing all its efforts into parachute jumping. Nine jumpers worked on the project, along with two consultants from the Eagle Parachute Company. During the summer of 1939, some 60 experimental parachute jumps were successfully made into the forests of northern Washington.

1940 In the summer of 1940 the U.S. Forest Service Smokejumper Project became fully operational. Six smokejumpers were based at Winthrop, and seven were located at Moose Creek Ranger Station in Idaho. On July 12, 1940, two smokejumpers from Moose Creek made the Project's first operational fire jump on the Nez Perce National Forest of Idaho. Eight more fires were jumped in Northwestern states before winter put an end to the 1940 fire season.

During the summer of 1940, US Army Major William Lee observed some of the smokejumper training being conducted in Montana. Major Lee, now known as the "father of airborne troops," incorporated many smokejumper techniques into the establishment of Army Airborne doctrine. In 1941 the entire project, now comprising 26 jumpers, was relocated to Missoula, Montana; it was more economical to base all smokejumpers in one location rather than maintain multiple and widely scattered facilities. Missoula was chosen because it was home to Johnson's Flying Service, a private contractor who supplied the smokejumpers with aircraft and pilots.

1942 The supply of qualified personnel available for smokejumping had been greatly depleted by the personnel demands of World War II. Only five smokejumpers returned from the previous year; 33 additional jumpers were hired and trained for the summer of 1942, but only a few had any wildland fire experience. The personnel shortage reached a critical stage by the spring of 1943. Only five jumpers were available, including the instructor. The problem was soon solved, however, when 70 members of the Civilian Public Service (C.P.S.) were trained as smokejumpers. The CPS was made up of conscientious objectors to the military draft. The use of CPS personnel by the smokejumper project continued until the end of the War, and in 1944, after five years in the trial stage, the smokejumper program was officially adopted by the US Forest Service. Consequently, a number of national forests reduced their ground forces and relied more on smokejumpers. This period also saw an expansion in the number of smokejumper bases, with new bases established in McCall, Idaho, and Cave Junction, Oregon.

1945 A threat of attack to Western forests by Japanese fire balloons was feared. To combat this threat, members of the US Army's All-Black 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion were trained in timber jumping and firefighting. The expected Japanese fire balloon menace did not materialize, but the 300 paratroopers were used as suppression crews on many large fires during the severe 1945 fire season.

1946 With the end of World War II, the Civilian Public Service smokejumper program was discontinued. The smokejumper ranks for the 1946 fire season included returning war veterans and college students. A total of 229 smokejumpers were employed during the summer of 1946, based at Missoula, Montana; McCall, Idaho; Winthrop, Washington; and Cave Junction, Oregon. Smokejumper bases and numbers remained relatively static throughout the remainder of the 1940s. The 1949 fire season was notable not only as an extremely active season, but a tragic one as well. Twelve smokejumpers were fatally burned on the Mann Gulch Fire in Montana's Helena National Forest. Mann Gulch remains the single most fatal tragedy in smokejumper history. It is also the subject of the best-selling book Young Men and Fire, by Norman Maclean.

1950s The smokejumper project grew significantly throughout the 1950s; numbers continued to increase, reaching 398 by 1958. In addition, bases were established at Grangeville, Idaho; West Yellowstone, Montana; Silver City, New Mexico; and Redding, California. In 1959, the federal Bureau of Land Management established a smokejumper base in Fairbanks, Alaska. This was the first time an agency other than the US Forest Service had maintained a smokejumper project.

1960s The 1960s saw no really significant developments within the Forest Service smokejumper program. No new bases were established, despite the fact that total numbers of smokejumpers continued to increase, reaching 427 by 1968. However, the Bureau of Land Management's Alaska smokejumper project grew significantly during the 1960s and, by the end of the decade, smokejumpers were playing a major role in Alaska fire suppression.

1970s Throughout the 1970s, the number of smokejumpers available nationwide remained around 400. There were, however, some significant changes and events involving the national project. On June 3, 1970, after 31 years of operation and over 90,000 parachute jumps, the first smokejumper fatality associated with parachute jumping occurred. This tragedy took place on a fire jump in northern California.

In the late 1970s, the Forest Service initiated a base consolidation program. Some bases were closed, while the remainder were designated either core or satellite bases. Smokejumpers are stationed at both, but all training occurs at regional core bases. Base consolidation was made possible by the ever-increasing mobility of smokejumpers. Standardization of procedures allowed smokejumpers to operate easily from base to base, and faster aircraft reduced the travel time between bases.

During the 1970s, the Bureau of Land Management smokejumpers in Alaska began experimenting with Ram-Air style parachutes. Until this time, all smokejumpers used the round-style parachute, similar to that used by Army paratroopers. The Ram-Air system proved suitable for flat terrain and high winds encountered on the Alaska tundra, and was adopted by the Bureau of Land Management in the early 1980s. That decade also witnessed increasing utilization of smokejumpers on a national scale. Although the number of smokejumpers available nationwide remained around 400 throughout the 1980s, smokejumpers increasingly found themselves on the move throughout the Western states and Alaska. Because of their inherent mobility, they could be quickly concentrated in an area of high fire occurrence and then, just as quickly, be deployed to another. During the 1980s the smokejumper project truly became a national project.

1980s The 1980s also saw notable events and developments. In 1981 the first woman smokejumper and the first woman smokejumper pilot were employed by the U.S. Forest Service, both based at McCall, Idaho. In May 1981 a fatal airplane crash and ensuing fire destroyed the smokejumper base at Redding, California. The Redding Smokejumpers were operating out of temporary quarters within a month, and a new facility was completed in 1984. In 1987 the Bureau of Land Management established a base in Boise, Idaho, using the facility vacated by the Forest Service Boise Smokejumpers in 1980. In 1989, a full 50 years after the first jumps were made, the smokejumpers made their 200,000th parachute jump.

1990s Heavy smokejumper utilization continued into the 1990s. For example, during the severe summer fire season of 1994, the 391 smokejumpers available nationwide made 4,806 fire jumps on 989 wildfires, setting a record for yearly activity. The year of 1994 was also a tragic one - three smokejumpers were among the 14 firefighters who lost their lives July 6 on the South Canyon Fire near Glenwood Springs, Colorado. These were the first smokejumper fatalities since the Mann Gulch Fire of 1949.

As the 21st century approaches, the US Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and many other agencies responsible for wildland fire suppression continue to rely on smokejumpers. And the smokejumpers, for their part, continue to adapt to the ever-changing policies and environment of wildland fire suppression. It is interesting to note, however, that the basic concepts and techniques for the aerial delivery of firefighters developed by smokejumper pioneers of the 1930s are still employed today. The smokejumpers are, indeed, an organization with an eye on the future and its roots in the past.

By Tim Huntington and Dennis Golik

Location	First Year	# of Jumpers
Region 1
Regional Base	Missoula, MT	1940
Nezperce Forest	Grangeville, ID	1951
Gallatin Forest	West Yellowstone, MT	1951
Region 3
Detail from Missoula	Silver City, NM	1954
Region 4
Payette Forest	McCall, ID	1943
Boise Forest	Boise, ID	1970
Bureau of Land Managment	Idaho City, ID	1954-1969
Region 5
Regional Base, Northern California Service Center	Redding, CA	1957
Region 6
Siskiyou Base	Cave Junction, OR	1943
Redmond Air Center	Redmond, OR	1964
LaGrande Fire Control Center	LaGrande, OR	1974
North Cascade Smokejumper Base	Winthrop, WA	1940
Bureau of Land Managment	Fairbanks, AK	1959

Current bases

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