Alaska Smokejumpers fire alarm for first fire jump of 2021

#AlaskaSmokejumpers loading up for the first fire jump of the #2021AlaskaFireSeason was caught on video on May 24, 2021. The 12 BLM Alaska Fire Service smokejumpers flew 599 miles to the #PilotPointFire that escaped the village dump and threatened this Alaska Peninsula community. It was last estimated at 600 acres. Read more about this fire at: http://ow.ly/IVWl50EW6fl

Twelve more responded the next day to the #KikatakIslandFire burning in a fish camp near Akiachak outside Bethel. Read more about this fire at: http://ow.ly/JMm550EW5ZA

The Alaska Smokejumpers have protected federal, state and private lands in Alaska and the Lower 48 since 1959. Utilizing high performance airplanes such as the Dash-8 that carried the first load of 12 smokejumpers 599 miles in two hours, and specialized parachutes, smokejumpers provide a rapid long-range response capability for a wide variety of wildland fire missions.
Read more about this invaluable #FirefightingResource at https://www.blm.gov/https%3A//www.blm...

For an audio description/accessible version of the video, please visit    • Alaska Smokejumpers fire alarm for fi...  

Video by BLM AFS Public Affairs Specialist Beth Ipsen