History
Smokejumping was first proposed in 1934 by T.V. Pearson, Region 4's Regional Forester, 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 Region 6, and the first fire jump was made in 1940 on the Nez Perce NF in Region 1. The McCall Smokejumper program, which was established in 1943, continues to provide outstanding contributions to fire management efforts throughout the nation.
Today,
the McCall Smokejumper Unit is an interagency resource providing highly
trained, experienced firefighters and leadership for quick, wide-ranging,
self-sufficient initial attack, extended attack, Incident Command System
(ICS) fire teams, and prescribed fire operations throughout the country.
A turbine engine DC-3 and two Twin Otters comprise the fixed-wing aircraft
fleet which enables this unit to provide firefighters, paracargo, and
supplies to literally anywhere in the country.