Local and state authorities, as well as individuals and communities, now recognize that they too bear the responsibility to prepare and remain safe in the face of a wildfire. A wildfire is an uncontrolled fire that burns in wildland vegetation, often in rural areas. Join our community of educators and receive the latest information on National Geographic's resources for you and your students.
Skip to content. Image Smokejumper Training Smokejumpers are firefighters who parachute into hard-to-reach areas to fight fires. Photograph by J. Baylor Roberts. Twitter Facebook Pinterest Google Classroom. Encyclopedic Entry Vocabulary. Filler Photograph by J. Media Credits The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit.
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Related Resources. Last question. How do you come up with so much information for every wonder? Hi, Wonderopolis! I never knew there was such a thing! Are there lots of airplanes for smokejumpers?
Who started this? One last question. How do you come up with so many good wonders? Joaquin Jimenez Feb 16, I need to go, sorry for such a short comment. Being a smokejumper would be super scary. I can't believe so many jobs involve risking your life. I'm truly amazed! Congrats on the th wonder! Paige Feb 15, Dear Wonderopolis, Cool wonder! I had no idea what a smokejumper was until now! I'm glad I learned something new. Happy th wondera-versary! I think tomorrow's wonder will be about bugs.
Eric Feb 15, It's your th wonder! Wonderopolis Feb 15, Yes it is, Eric! Spencer E Feb 15, That is a brave job!!! Hopefully they get paid good money! We're so glad you liked today's Wonder, Eric! Thanks for letting us know! Dear Wonderoplis!! I loved this wonder. It was a little bit scary, but I still liked it. I think tomorrow's wonder will be about a road trip. Nicholas and Isaac Feb 15, Hi Wonderopolis! We loved learning about smokejumpers. We learned that a smokejumper is a person that jumps out of an airplane to fight fires in the wilderness.
That would be scary! Spencer Feb 15, Cool wonder! My daddy is a firefighter. But not a smokejumper. I wonder the next nice wonder to take a road trip. Wilwert's 1st grade thinks smokejumpers are brave and we wonder what do they do with their parachutes after they jump and what do they use to fight the fires? Loganbill's Reading Class Feb 15, We loved this wonder of the day because we think smokejumping would be really cool, but scary at the same time.
We wonder if the smokejumpers wear special clothing that is different from a regular firefighter. We also wonder why a smokejumper would want to risk their lives to save a forest. We wonder if tomorrow's wonder will be a road trip to find a smokejumper. Hannah from Team Turner Feb 15, Dear Wonderopolis, Boy am I glad they invented smokejumping!
Now people can live in the country, and not worry about wild fires as often! I learned how smokejumping was invented!! This was an awesome wonder of the day!!
TJ Feb 15, Wow, pretty amazing. I bet Rufus Robinson and Earl Cooley were probably frightened about it since it was their first time doing it. Why would they even come up with something like that because it is like super dangerous.
Anything could go wrong they could fall directly in the fire, but I guess these people would be good at doing this. Are smoke jumpers involved with any burning building? I would jump out of a airplane to do the same because it sounds fun and dangerous at the same time. I like it. I love today's wonder of the day. You should do a wonder about football one of these days. I cant wait until tomorrow's wonder of the day.
Wyatt Feb 15, Smokejumpers are awesome. I am still surprised that they still are risking there lives for us. Wonderopolis is a good site. Very intelligent beings. I love it here. It sounds weird "Smo-kej-ump-er. Nolan Feb 15, I am wondering how smokejumpers survive jumping off high distances. Can you tell me please???
Isaac Newton super fan! Feb 15, Hunter was right for the wonder. I think tomorrow's wonder is about road trips gone wrong. I think this is super scary. I think all your ideas are fabulous and that makes me wonder a lot. Wonder Friend Feb 15, There is no way I would ever take that job. I mean, so many things would go wrong because they could get caught in a tree when they are going down. Briana Feb 15, I went in a car to California for a road trip. I think someone will be taking a road trip, too, in tomorrow's wonder.
Victoria Feb 15, That is really scary to jump in and save fires, but I bet they get paid a lot of money. That is really dangerous. I would never want to do that unless someone is in there that I really love and care for them. Smokejumpers must be U. Most smokejumpers are between 20 and 40 years old, but some are in their 50's.
Mental alertness and stability are also essential given the hazards of the job. In addition, smokejumpers must pass a Work Capacity Test, which demands completing a three-mile hike while carrying a pound pack in 45 minutes.
And they must complete a physical to be approved for rigorous smokejumper training. Recruits are highly trained in such skills as parachuting maneuvers and landing rolls, aircraft exiting procedures, tree climbing, and parachute and cargo retrieval.
The seeds from lodgepole pine cones, for example, are only released in extremely high temperatures like a fire. And fire can return other important nutrients to the forest, as well.
Cottrell has spent over half his life fighting fires in more than half the U. He's logged about jumps — of which were into fires and training jumps. But it's a boom-or-bust type of job, and it's difficult to predict just how busy a particular summer will be.
A wet winter and spring have made for a less active fire season this year. And it's been "pretty slow" for Missoula's smokejumpers, Cottrell says, though they have been deployed to other states, especially Alaska, for support. More than 37, reported fires have burned about 4. And historically, the busiest period of fire season is coming to an end.
Cottrell is a permanent, year-round Forest Service employee. But about half the jumpers are only guaranteed six months of work. That means many supplement their firefighting with other work in the off-season.
Cottrell did the same in his rookie years. And the job has changed since the s. Back then, Cottrell says people referred to fire season as "July and August, period. The amount of money each jumper makes comes down to how busy the fire season is — and Cottrell's crew could be called upon to fight a fire any time of the year now.
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