Up in Flames

A fascinating look at the development of North American fire detection, communication and fire suppression technology from the inception of the lookout tower to the weather satellite. Remarkable historical footage and photographs show the devastation of fires such as Idaho's 1910 Big Blowup and Oregon's 1933 Tillamook Burn. The impact of these catastrophic fires on the search and development of fire fighting technology is illustrated with scenes of hand tool use, fire plows, aerial tankers, and smokejumping. The multi-agency Operation Firestop in 1954 is highlighted as an example of the cooperative nature of the research and development effort. Edited and produced by Vester Dick.