Ed Pulaski
Encyclopedia
Edward C. "Ed" Pulaski was a U.S. Forest Service
ranger based in Wallace, Idaho
. Pulaski traveled west and worked as a miner, railroad worker, and ranch foreman before joining the forest service in 1908.
". It had been unusually dry in 1910 and forest fires were rampant across the northern Rockies
. Pulaski was supervising crews on the west fork of Placer Creek, about five miles south of Wallace, when the fire suddenly broke out of control, overwhelming the crew.
Drawing on his knowledge of the area and of the dynamics of forest fires, Pulaski led his men to safety in an abandoned prospect mine
. After ordering his crew into an abandoned mine tunnel, he threatened to shoot with his pistol any man who left. Lying prone on the tunnel floor, all but five of the firefighters survived, but two horses with them died from smoke inhalation. The mine entrance, now known as the Pulaski Tunnel, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
in 1911, a hand tool commonly used in wildland firefighting
. A combination hand tool with a mattock
for digging or grubbing on one side and an axe
for chopping on the other, it is often called a "Pulaski tool".
Mount Pulaski, a 5480 foot (1670 m) peak 1.5 miles southwest of Wallace, is named for him.
The US Forest Service's Pulaski Tunnel Trail near Wallace, ID, provides access to the Nicholson Mine site where Pulaski and his team took shelter.
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
ranger based in Wallace, Idaho
Wallace, Idaho
Wallace is a historic city in the Panhandle region of the U.S. state of Idaho and the county seat of Shoshone County in the Silver Valley mining district...
. Pulaski traveled west and worked as a miner, railroad worker, and ranch foreman before joining the forest service in 1908.
Great Fire of 1910
On August 20, 1910, Pulaski was credited with saving all but five of his 45-man crew during what is known as the "Great Idaho Fire" or the "Big BlowupGreat Fire of 1910
The Great Fire of 1910 was a wildfire which burned about three million acres in northeast Washington, northern Idaho , and western Montana...
". It had been unusually dry in 1910 and forest fires were rampant across the northern Rockies
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
. Pulaski was supervising crews on the west fork of Placer Creek, about five miles south of Wallace, when the fire suddenly broke out of control, overwhelming the crew.
Drawing on his knowledge of the area and of the dynamics of forest fires, Pulaski led his men to safety in an abandoned prospect mine
Edward Pulaski Tunnel and Placer Creek Escape Route
The Edward Pulaski Tunnel and Placer Creek Escape Route are two adjacent sites used by firefighter Edward Pulaski in the Great Fire of 1910 to save the lives of himself and his crew....
. After ordering his crew into an abandoned mine tunnel, he threatened to shoot with his pistol any man who left. Lying prone on the tunnel floor, all but five of the firefighters survived, but two horses with them died from smoke inhalation. The mine entrance, now known as the Pulaski Tunnel, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
Pulaski firefighting tool
Pulaski is widely credited for the invention of the PulaskiPulaski (tool)
The pulaski is a special hand tool used in wildland firefighting.The tool combines an axe and an adze in one head, similar to that of the cutter mattock, with a rigid handle of wood, plastic, or fiberglass. The pulaski is a versatile tool for constructing firebreaks, as it can be used to both dig...
in 1911, a hand tool commonly used in wildland firefighting
Wildland fire suppression
Wildfire suppression refers to the firefighting tactics used to suppress wildfires. Firefighting efforts in wildland areas requires different techniques, equipment, and training from the more familiar structure fire fighting found in populated areas...
. A combination hand tool with a mattock
Mattock
A mattock is a versatile hand tool, used for digging and chopping, similar to the pickaxe. It has a long handle, and a stout head, which combines an axe blade and an adze or a pick and an adze .-Description:...
for digging or grubbing on one side and an axe
Axe
The axe, or ax, is an implement that has been used for millennia to shape, split and cut wood; to harvest timber; as a weapon; and as a ceremonial or heraldic symbol...
for chopping on the other, it is often called a "Pulaski tool".
Mount Pulaski, a 5480 foot (1670 m) peak 1.5 miles southwest of Wallace, is named for him.
The US Forest Service's Pulaski Tunnel Trail near Wallace, ID, provides access to the Nicholson Mine site where Pulaski and his team took shelter.
External links
- Surrounded by Forest Fires - My Most Exciting Experience as a Forest Ranger, by E.C. Pulaski
- USFS 1910 Fire Commemoration site - Ed Pulaski page
- VisitIdaho.org - Pulaski Tunnel Trail
- Idaho Forests.org - The Pulaski Project