Firefighters protect our forests and wildlands from destruction. They put their lives at risk to stop blazes before they threaten our communities. Apparel- and gear-maker Filson is celebrating their stories, and we share a few of them here in the series ‘Protectors of the Forest.’
Smokejumpers are specially trained wildland firefighters — and their training is grueling. Often the leading edge of a wildland firefight, smokejumpers parachute out of airplanes to reach fires before they grow into infernos. Their specialized training gives them the tools needed to lead and situational awareness to stay safe in emerging incidents.
Check out the journal entries of one smokejumper, Sam Averett, as he goes through training to be a protector of the forest.