On a 100-degree day in early June, eight experienced firefighters did sit-ups in a semicircle training to parachute into a wildfire. Better known as "rookie candidates," they were determined to make it through the five-week program at North Cascades Smokejumper Base in Winthrop, Washington, where the first experimental jumps occurred in 1939. "It's sort of the spiritual home of smokejumping," said David Ryder, who photographed the latest group of rookies. "These guys are the elite of the elite." Ryder said covering the record-setting wildfires in his home state of Washington over the past two years made him want to learn more about the people behind the acts of courage he had captured with his camera. These rookie candidates were required to have basic firefighting skills; two seasons of forestry experience, one being a main fire position; be 5 feet to 6 feet 5 inches (1.5 to (1.9 m) tall; and weigh between 120 and 200 pounds (54 to 91 kg), according to the base. REUTERS/David Ryder SEARCH "SMOKEJUMPING" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "THE WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY Matching text: USA-FIREFIGHTERS/SMOKEJUMPING

A rainbow is seen over a beach with lifejackets and a boat, left behind by refugees and migrants that arrived on the Greek island of Lesbos, November 10, 2015. Since the start of the year, over 590,000 people have crossed into Greece, the frontline of a massive westward population shift from war-ravaged Syria and beyond. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

A rainbow spans over the Hohes Goell (L) and Schneibstein mountains near the Carl-von-Stahl-Haus Alpine Club hut in the Berchtesgaden, Bavaria, Alpine region near the Austrian-German border August 1, 2014. REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay (AUSTRIA - Tags: ENVIRONMENT SOCIETY TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) 

A double rainbow appears after a heavy monsoon storms over Nipton Road in Searchlight, Nevada, July 13, 2012. The National Weather Service has extended a flash flood watch through Saturday night, as rain and thunderstorms have rumbled into Southern Nevada. Picture taken July 13. 2012.
REUTERS/Gene Blevins (UNITED STATES - Tags: DISASTER ENVIRONMENT TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) 

A general view shows the plenary hall of the German lower house of parliament Bundestag in Berlin, October 27, 2009. REUTERS/Johannes Eisele (GERMANY POLITICS) 

An Israeli worker walks in a grandstand being assembled in preparation for the visit of Pope Benedict on Mount Precipice near the northern city of Nazareth May 5, 2009. Pope Benedict is expected to lead a mass at the site during his visit to the region next week. REUTERS/Baz Ratner (ISRAEL RELIGION POLITICS) 

Italy's Luca Ansoldi (R) tries to score past Ukraine's goalie Igor Karpenko during their Olympic Qualification tournament Group F men's ice hockey game in Riga February 5, 2009. REUTERS/Ints Kalnins (LATVIA) 

Ukraine's Oleg Timchenko scores past goalie Thomas Tragust while Italy's Luca Ansoldi (R) looks on during their Olympic Qualification tournament Group F men's ice hockey game in Riga February 5, 2009. REUTERS/Ints Kalnins (LATVIA) 

EDITORIAL USE ONLY - NO COMMERCIAL OR BOOK SALES. An Israeli military jeep drives in front of the sun setting on the Israel-Gaza border January 4, 2009. Israeli troops and tanks split the Gaza Strip and ringed its main city on Sunday in an offensive against Hamas militants but civilians trapped in the Palestinian enclave suffered more bloodshed. REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis (ISRAEL) 

Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant goes up for a dunk against the New York Knicks during their NBA basketball game in Los Angeles, December 16, 2008. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson (UNITED STATES) 

A general overview shows the plenary hall during session of the German upper house of parliament Bundesrat in Berlin, October 17, 2008. A 500-billion euro ($673.8 billion) bank rescue package will come into effect on Monday if it wins the approval of the Bundesrat in today's session. REUTERS/Tobias Schwarz (GERMANY) 

A general view shows the room where Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng is reading his speech during the opening day for the 13th Shanghai Municipal People's Congress in Shanghai January 24, 2008. The effect in the picture is caused by the reflection from a table. REUTERS/Nir Elias (CHINA) 

Greg Foster-Rice, from Denmark, walks in Central Park during a snow storm in New York, February 14, 2007. REUTERS/Eric Thayer (UNITED STATES) 

A gondolier takes a break during the carnival in Venice February 14, 2007. The canal city expects to attract 1.2 million people during the 12 days of carnival, 20 percent more than last year and vastly outnumbering the 62,000 residents of the city's historical centre. REUTERS/Chris Helgren (ITALY) 

A model presents a creation from Italian designer Franco Ciambella's Spring/Summer 2005 Haute Couture collection show at Rome's Fashion Week January 31, 2005. Pictures of the month January 2005 REUTERS/Giampiero Sposito GS/WS 

Delegates attend the opening session of Chinese People Political Consultative Committee in Shanghai January 11, 2004. Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng is expected to speak on the booming city's economic development over the last year and will look ahead to plans this year. Pictures of the month January 2004 REUTERS/Claro Cortes IV CC/CP 

577 PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS TAKE THE SEATS NORMALLY OCCUPIED BY THEIR DEPUTIES IN THE FRENCH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY.


577 primary school students from all over France sit in the semicircle of the French National Assembly as they wait for the start of the 8th session of the Children's Parliament May 19, 2001. The children, taking the seat normally occupied by their deputies, will debate over ten law proposals, choosing one. 

FRENCH EXTREME RIGHT LEADER JEAN MARIE LE PEN TAKES PART AT LAST SESSION AT THE EUROPEAN PARLAMENT IN STRASBOURG.


French extreme right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen (L) turns to speak with Jean Claude Martinez (R) at the European Parliament October 23, 2000 in Strasbourg. The European Court of Human Rights rejected a plea from Le Pen to stop France from stripping him of his mandate as a European Parliament deputy. France decided the anti-immigrant leader was ineligible to hold public office for a year because of a 1998 conviction for assaulting a woman politician during the 1997 general election campaign. Le Pen later left the semicircle of the European Parliament. 

Two Sri Lankan soldiers keep watch for Tamil Tiger rebels from positions deep inside the jungle near the northern Mankualam town February 18. Troops have formed a semicircle around the northern town, where an estimated 1,500 rebels are entrenched. Mankulam is the last major town on a vital northern highway that the military has been trying to capture since May last year.

SRILANKA REBELS