The National Interagency Fire Center released this photo yesterday with the description, “Jump plane arriving on scene over a desert fire”. (The photo was undated and uncredited. However it included the hashtag “#gbjumpers”, indicating the source may have been the smokejumpers in the Great Basin.)
I’m sure this is from the Boise BLM Smokejumpers. When I saw it I remembered a morning in July ’96 after a lightning bust in Nevada. Eight of us loaded in the Otter and went looking for fires. Dropped two and then found a fire that looked like this one, only the flame front was almost horizontal all across the butte. I recall when we dropped down to look more closely the air was so unstable, the six left on board were doing our best not to throw up; if one had started, we all would have lost it. The winds were too strong to jump it right then, so we kept going and jumped other fires later in the day.
Where are the Values At Risk?
This is wonderful picture of what the sky looks like after a lightning bust has came through and lit up the place. Strong winds and flashy fuel may not have allowed a load of jumpers to be ‘put-out’? Thanks for sharing this photo.
Nice picture.
Alas, a view I will never be able to see for myself.
I guess the world needs engine slugs too.
where are the trees?