Wildland Fire Training
Wildland fire management is constantly changing in response to new science, public policy, technology, and lessons learned in safety and fire prevention.A wide range of courses are available year-round across the country for wildland fire professionals to update their knowledge and skills. Many courses are interagency in nature, while others are specific to the needs of the Forest Service.The…
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Narrative
2017 Fire Season SummarySince January 1st, nearly 53,000 wildfires have burned nearly 9 million acres of federal, state, and private land nationwide. This represents a 30% increase in acres burned compared to the 10-year average for this date (Fires and Acres Year to Date by Protection table).Approximately 2.3 million acres have burned so far this year on National Forest system lands. That’s…
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Current Issues
Active ManagementOver the last few decades we have been experiencing more large fires, more extreme fire behavior, and more acres burned annually on average due to hazardous fuel buildups, nonnative species invasions, insect and disease infestations, warmer and drier conditions, and long term drought. Improving forest conditions through mechanical thinning, prescribed fires, and other methods has…
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McCall Smokejumper Aircraft
The DH-6 300 series Twin Otter is a Short-Take-Off-and-Landing (STOL) aircraft ideal for demanding smokejumper missions in the back country. The Twin Otter has a cruise speed of 150 knots, providing an initial attack capability of eight smokejumpers with a two day supply of food, water, and firefighting supplies within a range of 340 nautical miles from the base of operation. The STOL capability…
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McCall Smokejumper Qualifications
Candidates must be highly motivated individuals in top physical condition and capable of performing arduous duties. Any physical defect sufficient to impair efficiency or endanger fellow workers will disqualify the applicant. Individuals interested in becoming smokejumper candidates must meet the qualifications listed below.
Experience for a GS-5:
One year of experience that provided the…
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McCall Smokejumpers - History of Smokejumping
Smokejumping was first proposed in 1934 by T.V. Pearson, Regional Forester of the Intermountain Region (Region 4), as a means to quickly provide initial attack on forest fires. By parachuting self-sufficient firefighters to the fire, they could arrive fresh and ready for the strenuous work of fighting fires in rugged terrain.The Smokejumper program began in 1939 as an experiment in the Pacific…