Interviewer
Nick Sundt, Charlie Bragdon
Files
Description
Richard Montague discusses how firefighting funding was determined in the late-1970s and early-1980s, in terms of both prevention and suppression of wildfires. He describes the negotiation process between firefighting outfits, the U.S. Forest Service, and the U.S. Congress for appropriate funding. Montague also explains how fire management has come to utilize analytics in determining the most cost-effective and effective size of crews, location of jumper bases and amount of equipment necessary to prevent and suppress fires. With these analytics, Montague explains that management has permitted fires to become larger, allowing them to be contained by natural barriers before sending in fire crews, in order to preserve resources. Montague also explains the job responsibilities are various people in the fire management system and the affirmative action measures of fire crews to incorporate female firefighters into their crews, detailing some of the different skill sets that they bring.
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Document Type
Oral History
Subjects
Smokejumping; U.S. Forest Service; Fire Suppression; Firefighting logistics and funding; Affirmative Action; Female smokejumpers; Rocky Mountain West; Congressional fund allocation
Original Date
1-14-1982
Time Period
Twentieth century
Geographic Coverage
United States; Idaho; Montana; Oregon
Language
eng
Original Collection
Nick Sundt Smokejumpers Oral History Project, OH 172, Archives and Special Collections, Mansfield Library, University of Montana-Missoula
Digital Publisher
University of Montana--Missoula. Mansfield Library
Rights
Copyright to this collection is held by the interview participants and by the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, University of Montana-Missoula. Permission may be required for use. For further information please contact Archives and Special Collections: (406) 243-2053 / library.archives@umontana.edu
Oral History Number
OH 172-030
Media Type
Sound; Text
Original Format
1 sound cassette (01:00:00 min.) analog + 1 transcript (18 p.: 28 cm.)
Digital Format
audio/mp3; application/pdf
Run Time
00:58:08 minutes
Local Filename
OH_172_030.mp3; OH_172_030.pdf
Citation
Montague, Richard E., "Richard E. Montague Interview, January 14, 1982" (1982). Nick Sundt Smokejumpers Oral History Project. 5.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/nicksundtsmokejumpers_oralhistory/5