The Lever recently spoke to Rod Dow, a retired smokejumper who spent 45 years fighting fires in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest, for its reporting on how the potential privatization of U.S. Forest Service jobs could leave wildlands more vulnerable to blazes.
The following are excerpts from Dow’s book about a few of the hairy adventures that came along with his many years fighting fire, exclusively for paid subscribers. (You can read more from Just A Few Jumper Stories here.)
Dun Dun’s Mishap
Gary Dunning was a long-time jumper who jumped at both West Yellowstone and Cave Junction and then joined us in Alaska when that base closed. He was an avid ice climber, always had a pleasant disposition, and hated the fire siren. He was very engaging once he became familiar with someone but a bit shy otherwise. If he didn’t know you, he spoke quietly and kinda looked at his toes, you know?
