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Over the past week, a series of fires destroyed tens of thousands of acres in and around Sonoma County, burning homes, cars, and wineries in their wake. We sent a photographer to document the aftermath.

Aaron Smith has been a member of the storied Yosemite Search and Rescue team for over 15 years. He’s also on the park’s elite helicopter rescue squad. Here’s a list of the gear he relies on most during his missions.

A regular day of skiing requires a lot of gear, so you can imagine how much ski patrollers have to carry while they’re out keeping us safe on the slopes. To find out exactly what they pack, we caught up with Robin McElroy, an 11-year veteran of the Squaw Valley Ski Patrol, Alaskan heli-ski guide, and former big-mountain ski competitor.

You need the right gear to go trail running, skiing, or mountain biking. You really need the right stuff if you spend weeks fighting infernos in the middle of a forest.

Photojournalist Max Whittaker takes you right to the fire line.