Weapons against a wildfire
Click a marker to see what a fully equipped forest or brush firefighter carries:
May also carry:
• Radio
• GPS location finder
Heavy labor
To qualify for “arduous” fireline work, a Forest Service firefighter must be able to carry, without running or jogging:
• A 45-pound pack
• 3 miles over level ground
• In 45 minutes*
This the equivalent to fast hiking pace with heavy camping gear
*90 seconds extra allowed at altitude above 9,000 ft.
Tools carried in
Protection and survival
Helmet, goggles
and respirator
Shroud
Fire-resistant, protects head, neck
Emergency
shelter
Small flame-resistant tent; used if firefighter is trapped by fire, must take cover
Clothing
Fire-resistant gloves and outer clothing, leather chaps worn by crews using chain saws — multiple layers help to protect from heat
Footwear
Boots with thick soles and steel toes are a must
Canteen
Must drink water constantly to prevent dehydration
Squads on the crew specialize in certain tools — some will use chain saws to remove the thickest brush, while the squads that follow will use hand tools:
Pulaski
Cuts with ax head and digs roots out with arched blade on other end
Mcleod
Combination rake and hoe, used to remove brush from fire’s path
Shovel
For throwing dirt or scraping
a trail
Drip torch
For lighting controlled
backfires, burning off brush ahead of advancing fire
SOURCE: U.S. Forest Service, Tribune News Service photo and graphics