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Siskiyou smokejumpers. Siskiyou smokejumper base, Illinois Valley Airport, Highway 199, Cave Junction, Oregon.

Ghost Parachutes

Stories from the historic Siskiyou Smokejumper Base, Cave Junction, Oregon

When a crew of smokejumpers took off from Siskiyou Smokejumper Base to go to a fire in 1977, they didn't know that by the end of the day their parachutes would later be flying away without them.

Twenty four smokejumpers jumped into the fire and all landed near to each other, with each of them hung up in hardwood trees about 30-40 feet off the ground. They used ropes to let themselves to the ground and decided to go work on the fire and get their parachutes out of the trees later.

It was not long before the fire got out of control and the smokejumpers had to make a run for it. They were able to save most of their jump equipment but had to leave their parachutes behind in the trees.

As they went down the mountain they began to hear chatter on the radio that parachutes were seen floating in the smoke and there was concern that smokejumpers were being dropped into the fire.

If someone had looked closer at the parachutes, they would have realized that there was no one attached to them. The smoke from the fire had lifted them up into the air for one last flight.

Sources
Gary Buck. 2005: Interview - The Hog Fire, Forks of the Salmon, Klamath Mountains, California, August, 1977

Photo by Doug Beck

Story retold by Roger Brandt

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