It’s wildfire season out West. Time to be in awe of the destructive power of nature.

According to the USDA Forest Service active fire maps, more than 300 fires are burning across 1.5 million acres—including 35 large, uncontained blazes.

Shifting winds, humidity, and terrain can quickly alter a fire’s intensity. In extreme conditions, flames can reach more than 150 feet, with temperatures exceeding 2,000°F. This ferocious power is matched by only one thing: the incredible strength, courage, and skills of smokejumpers who parachute into remote areas to combat the deadly blazes. But danger looms before a smokejumper even confronts a fire.

In statistics, we ask: “Can you trust your data?” For a smokejumper, the critical initial question is: “Can you trust your parachute?”

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