Final answer:
To calculate the total number of people who died in the incident at Helena National Forest, you add the 15 smokejumpers and the one fire guard, resulting in a total of 16 fatalities.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks us to calculate the total number of people who died in an incident involving smokejumpers in Helena National Forest. To find the answer, we simply add the number of smokejumpers to the number of fire guards who perished. As stated, 15 smokejumpers and one fire guard lost their lives. Therefore, the total number of people who died is 15 (smokejumpers) + 1 (fire guard) = 16 people.