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When the alarm sounds at the BLM Alaska Fire Service smokejumper base, these airborne firefighters spring into action, donning gear for a fire jump. Typically, Alaska smokejumpers have two minutes to suit up and six minutes until wheels up. Airplanes, referred to as jump ships, that deliver smokejumpers to the airspace near a fire fly with closed doors, allowing Alaska smokejumpers to do their buddy checks in the airplane while en route. In the Lower 48, because the airplanes fly with doors open