Every year, wildfires (野火) destroy much forest land. Homes are broken down, and thousands of people die. Smokejumpers are helping to stop this.
Smokejumpers are a special kind of firefighter (消防员). They jump from planes into areas that are difficult to reach by car or on foot, like the middle of a mountain forest. The idea of jumping out of planes to fight wildfires first came up in the 1930s and became popular in the 1940s.
At a fire site, smokejumpers first examine the land and decide how to fight the fire. Their main goal is to stop fire from spreading. Using basic tools such as shovels and axes, smokejumpers clear land of burnable material like plants and other dry material. They carry water with them too, but not much.
Although most smokejumpers are men, more women are joining. Most important are your weight and height. Smokejumpers in the U.S., for example, must be 54 to 91 kilograms, so they don't get hurt when they land, or get blown by strong winds.
Smokejumpers must be able to live in the wilderness (荒野). In Russia, many smokejumpers know how to find food in the forest and even make simple furniture (家具) from trees.
The work is dangerous, and the hours are long. But for these firefighters, smokejumpers isn't just a job. They love being able to jump out of planes, fight fires, and live in the forest. As 28-year-old Russian smokejumpers Alexi Tishin says, "This is the best job for the strong and brave people."
To be a smokejumper, one needs to .
