By mid July, 2001, the "Timber Sale Fire" burned more than 100,000 acres in forests south of Fairbanks. The area was designated for limited fire suppression, monitor-only status until a spotfire across a slough threatened a valuable stand of white spruce marked for logging. Fire managers called in the Alaska Smokejumpers.

After negotiating tall white spruce trees surrounding the tight spot, the eight jumpers set up portable pumps on both sides of the fire, stringing hoses through the dense woods. They extinguished the spotfire within a few days and were plucked from the island by helicopter.