protectors of the forest | The Filson Journal

black and white of a woman on the deck of a lookout towner looking out at something through binoculars

The Woman on the Mountain: Christine Estrada

Christine Estrada, a fire lookout, having visited 93 of the remaining lookouts across Washington State, works tirelessly during fire season to spot, report and communicate with fire teams on the ground, reducing the impact of wildfires in the Methow Valley.

4 Min

a black and white image of a helicopter flying up to pull the hanging log to the drop zone away from the logging site

Field Notes

A Short History of Helicopter Logging

The practice of helicopter logging is still employed in parts of the world today, including the US and Canada. Often the USFS will use it to thin forest lands in the wildland-urban interface near cities and towns to mitigate wildfire danger. Several logging companies employ it to target specific types of wood and to work in rugged, steep mountainous slopes.

2 Min

illustration of smokey the bear pointing to a sign burning next to a couple of bear cubs holding a sign that says

Profiles

Smokey Bear: An American Icon

Smokey the bear’s message has remained unchanged since the 1940s. A message to the American public: that you, I, and everyone shared a responsibility to prevent wildfires. This is the story of that iconic bear.

5 Min

National Forests

Filson and The Forest Service

Filson and the U.S. Forest Service share unbreakable ties to our wildlands and a relationship that dates over a century. Since the 1950s, Filson garments have been in-use as field and uniform attire for U.S.F.S. personnel, and remain so today. Read the full article on The Filson Journal at the link in bio.

2 Min

Field Notes

Train Like a Wildland Firefighter, Workout 1: “FRIDLEY”

First responders and wildland firefighters don’t have the option to work from home. They need to be in top physical and mental shape or else lives could be lost. If they can’t make it to the gym, they bring the gym home or find a way to use whatever space they have to hit their daily goals. We worked with the guys at MTNTOUGH Fitness Lab to bring those simple but effective routines to you and whatever space you occupy to help you keep physically fit and mentally sharp.

7 Min

two men shirtless in a gym, the one in front bent over with his hands on his knees tired while the other adjusts the rowing machine behind him

Field Notes

Train Like a Wildland Firefighter with Mountain Tough Fitness Lab

The day-to-day rigors of a wildland firefighter require supreme mental and physical strength. These folks hump 45-pound packs up and down steep, rugged terrain for three to five miles a day — usually in the intense heat of a wildfire. If you want what it takes to be a wildland firefighter, you have to train like one. That’s where MTNTOUGH comes in.

2 Min

historic image of men sitting down to eat lunch in field among burned trees

Field Notes

THE CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS.

THE Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was a depression-era work-relief program that put millions of America’s young men to work on important conservation projects. Established in 1933 by executive order, the CCC was one of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s most popular New Deal programs

3 Min

hotshots walking through dirt path in forest carrying their gear to location

Field Notes

BIA: INTER-AGENCY HOTSHOTS – NATIVE AMERICAN FIRE CREWS

NATIVE AMERICAN FIRE CREWS were officially formed in 1910—known as the Division of Forestry, a part of the BIA—and tasked with protecting tribal timber holdings. As one might imagine, these crews were incredibly effective.

1 Min

Profiles

BARB WHITEMAN – A LIFE DEDICATED TO FIGHTING WILDLAND FIRES

Barb grew up on the Crow Indian Reservation in Eastern Montana. When she was not in school, she spent untold hours roaming the Big Horn Mountains near her home hunting, fishing, or camping. So, when she decided to take a seasonal job with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) during a college break, it seemed like a natural way to make some extra money, but it would end up changing her life.

2 Min

Profiles

MALHEUR RAPPEL CREW

The Malheur Rappel Crew primarily fights fires in the Pacific Northwest (Region 6) but team members can be dispatched anywhere there is a need – even globally. The standards to become a member of the team are high but when their training is completed, they will join the ranks of this legendary crew—a family of elite firefighters, founded on innovation and dedicated to protecting our Public Lands for generations to come.

4 Min

wildland firefighter throwing retardant in smoky forest

Field Notes

WHAT IS A WILDLAND FIREFIGHTER

Wildfires across the U.S. have become increasingly large and uncharacteristically extreme, due to factors including climate change and unhealthy forests. This puts communities, habitat, and watersheds at risk. It also means that the women and men who work on the front lines to combat wildfires are facing more dangerous conditions. Who are the people who undertake this arduous, smoky, dirty, relentlessly hot, and risky mission to protect our forests and grasslands and the residents and property in adjacent communities?

Profiles

BEQUI LIVINGSTON – WILDLAND FIREFIGHTING PIONEER

IN 1988, Bequi Livingston became the first woman ever recruited by the New Mexico-based Smokey Bear Hotshots for its elite wildland firefighting crew. It had taken Livingston nine years to prove herself in the then-male dominated industry.

1 Min

Profiles

VETERANS HOTSHOT CREW

Having achieved certification last Veterans Day, the Lakeview Veterans Hotshots are the only Interagency Hotshot Crew in the country that prioritizes enlisting and developing former military personnel. From front lines of battlefields in war-stricken corners of the world to the most rugged backcountry in North America, the individuals on the Lakeview Hotshots are accustomed to putting their lives on the line to ensure safety for other American citizens.

2 Min

Field Notes

THE CHAINSAW

The single most important invention affecting logging was the chainsaw of 1935. Although it was not invented in Oregon, it was perfected there in 1947 by lumberjack Joseph Cox. While chopping firewood one chilly autumn day in 1946, Cox paused for a moment to examine the curious activity of a timber beetle larva in a tree stump.

Profiles

ERNESTO ALVARADO – FIRE SCIENTIST

Ernesto Alvarado is a biologist and Research Associate Professor at the University of Washington. With over 27 years in the field, his current research covers a variety of topics, from fire management to tropical forestry, to the nature of forest fires in response to climate change.

1 Min

black and white firefighter gear on wood floor

How-To's

How to Pack Your Line Gear

When you’re on a fire line, everything that matters is on your back. You may be required to haul 70 lbs. in and out of a remote spot. How you pack is as important as what you pack. Proper pack fit is crucial—the waist belt should ride just above your beltline, with the hips bearing the majority of the load.

Hotshots getting their gear ready from truck

Profiles

Q&A WITH A HOTSHOT

We sit down with Jeremiah Coke, Squad Leader with a hotshot crew in the Pacific Northwest, to learn a thing or two about his 17 years in fire.

3 Min

Profiles

PHOENIX CREW 1

Meet one of the most unique teams partnering with the USFS – an Arizona Fire Crew made primarily of post-release inmates.

10 Min

kyle miller wildland firefighter photographer

Profiles

KYLE MILLER – PHOTOGRAPHER

A wildland firefighter for the U.S. Forest Service and Wyoming Hotshots crew member, Kyle Miller is not a photographer — just a guy who is drawn to fighting wildfire on the front line, who happens to have a camera.

2 Min

Field Notes

#2 of 22 - Protectors of the Forest

MAN BEAST MACHINE

In the beginning, the USFS fought forest fires using animals such as horses and pigeons. Horses provided transportation of man and materials, while pigeons afforded timely communication. From horseback to car, dirt to paved roads and ground to air vehicles, transportation technology is constantly advancing; this is no different for the USFS.

6 Min

smokejumper firefighter safely landing from practice jump in grassy field

Field Notes

JUMP TRAINING REDDING, CALIFORNIA

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.

6 Min

fire lab test in progress while scientist takes notes

Field Notes

INSIDE THE FIRE LAB

The U.S. Forest Service’s Fire Sciences Laboratory, Fire Lab for short, is the only facility on earth dedicated to studying wildfire through experiments in a chamber. The public rarely gets to witness the science and technology happening inside. I was giddy for the demonstrations, for the chance to experience fire without fear. I would come away with so much more.

5 Min