This base has a long and storied tradition that dates back almost 80 years. At its inception, 8 smokejumpers plus a foreman from Missoula, Montana, and a pilot from Oregon were asked to fly down to the Gila National Forest in New Mexico for an experimental trial after a large lighting bust that spring. In 1954, the Silver City base expanded staffing to 18 jumpers, and they made 105 jumps and responded to 40 fires that season.
The base has been operating since.
This week, however, the base is closing, ending a historic chapter in Smokejumper history. All the photos and sewing machines have been removed from the facility, and everything has been transferred to Albuquerque. No official reason for its closing has been given publicly.
“I’m in the Gila, the mighty Gila, can you feel the, feel the pain.”
It’s known that there were numerous injuries jumping out of the Gila, and years ago, an open letter went out to jumpers saying they needed to reconsider how to jump the Gila because it was beginning to skew their safety numbers. If you know the Gila, you know how rough it is.
This is also the base that Smokejumper Tim Hart made his last jump from before his death that occurred on the Eicks Fire in New Mexico. Tim sustained a head and neck injury after landing on a rocky slope at the base of a ravine. Tim was a base squad leader at the time.
It's kind of shocking to hear of this base’s closure after nearly 80 years of operation. If anyone has more information about the reason for this closure, please reach out.
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Sad
Sorry to hear this…. I hear this rumors for years now. Anyway I enjoyed my days back in 77, 78, 79 boosting there from MSO. The Gila wilderness is the Creator’s home.