This is a great video about FS employees from the Shasta-T and the Stanislaus and the FS mules working on the Dome (Park Service) Fire. I don’t see why they couldn’t have included the FS shield along with the Park Service and the USWFS… but whatever..
Here’s a link to the video, and below is the write-up.
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Several pack mules from the Shasta-Trinity National Fores, as well as from the Stanislaus National Forest t are being used to support firefighters on the Dome Fire. These intelligent, strong animals provide invaluable support. Using pack mules allows helicopters to do other work, such as bucket drops; and mules can also be used in smoky conditions where a helicopter would not have good visibility to deliver supplies to a remote site.A typical mule team, called a ‘string’, consists of five mules and a lead horse. Mules look similar to horses – they are the offspring of a female horse (mare) and male donkey (jack) – but have longer ears, a shorter and stronger back, more durable feet, better peripheral vision, and require less food and water. They are a cautious animal, and each can carry 160 – 200 lbs. of gear. During an incident, such as the Dome Fire, the mule’s load is varied and can include items such as fire hose, pumps, nozzles, fuel tanks, and supplies for firefighters who are camped out. They will pack in needed supplies including water, MREs (meals ready to eat), drip-torches and other firefighting equipment to firefighters preparing the heritage site to withstand a potential threat of fire. Trails are treacherous and these sure-footed mules on a typical day journey 20 to 30 miles. In one load, a long string of mules can carry an amount that would require several helicopter flights. Since mules can travel almost anywhere, they can carry supplies directly to the firefighters, saving time and energy for fighting the fire. The Dome Fire is in a wilderness area and the use of mules for transportation is compatible with wilderness values. Historically, mules were the traditional way to move supplies and equipment throughout the mountains of California. In the 1930’s there were over 1,000 mules used by the U. S. Forest Service. However, as road systems improved, the use of mule strings declined substantially. Currently, there are approximately 100 mules used by the Forest Service across the country.