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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who did Jansson, Sallee, and Roos find alive on the other side of the ridge from the other survivors?

2. Where did the author go after climbing over the ridge away from the Fish Creek fire?

3. What is a "fire whirl?"

4. What animal was Fish Creek known for having in abundance?

5. For what organization did the Smokejumpers work?

Short Essay Questions

1. How did the firefighters at the Forest Service think the fire would spread? Why did they think the fire starters had the same idea?

2. What did the author know about hiking boots? Why were they important? What kind of boots was he wearing the day of the Fish Creek fire? Why?

3. As the author was running up the hillside away from the creek, where was the fire? What choices did he have for escape? What happened when he was half way up the hillside?

4. What is a Pulanski? Where did it come from? What does it do? Who is it named after?

5. What important question did the author ask Mrs. Brown after his experience with the fire at Fish Creek? What was her answer?

6. What did the author do when he reached the top of the ridge? What did he decide to do next?

7. What are the roles of the foreman and the second-in-command in a jump team of firefighters? What is each man responsible for during the approach to the fire?

8. To what did Maclean compare the smokejumper's jump from the plane? Why?

9. What were the topographical differences in the north and the south sides of the mountains separated by Mann Gulch? What did these conditions have to do with the fire?

10. What did the author know about the Mann Gulch fire based on his experience with fires as a young man?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Maclean suggests that there were a set of specific and unique circumstances surrounding the jump into the Mann Gulch fire. He mentions, for example, that the radio broke upon landing leaving the Smokejumpers unable to communicate. What other specific events and circumstances made this jump unique and unusual? How did each event affect the outcome of the tragedy?

Essay Topic 2

Maclean discussed different types of fires in his story and explains that these different fires converged at Mann Gulch. How did Maclean explain the Mann Gulch fire in terms of types of fires? Why is it important to the credibility of the story to understand different types of fires?

Essay Topic 3

The escape fire Wag Dodge set on the ridge was an important part of the story of the fire. Equally, his fire was a controversial part of the story. Discuss the escape fire, why it was set, the theory behind how it worked, and why it was controversial.

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