SLAUGHTER GULCH

FIRE

July 23, 2005

REPRESENTATIVE FUELS

Looking North, note Looking North, note the Structuresthe Structures

N

Lightning Lightning caused firecaused fire

Sagebrush Sagebrush with heavy with heavy cheatgrass cheatgrass understoryunderstory

ROS 5-10, ROS 5-10, FL 4-5’FL 4-5’

Down-canyon Down-canyon windswinds

Thunder Thunder storms in the storms in the areaarea

Most resources Most resources at structures at structures up the canyonup the canyon

N

11

22

BMFPD Engine BMFPD Engine B-810 (2 B-810 (2 personnel) personnel) arrive on scene.arrive on scene.

Sets up even Sets up even with the head with the head and begins to and begins to deploy hard-linedeploy hard-line

App. 100’ of App. 100’ of unburned fuel unburned fuel between and the between and the fire and B-810fire and B-810

BLM BLM Engine 605 (3 Engine 605 (3 personnel) and personnel) and 605 Chase (4 605 Chase (4 personnel) arrive personnel) arrive on scene from on scene from the south the south

B-810 pulls off B-810 pulls off road (facing road (facing away from the away from the road) to allow road) to allow vehicles to passvehicles to pass

2 Rifle 2 Rifle Helitack arrive Helitack arrive on footon foot

All personnel All personnel out of out of vehicles, E-vehicles, E-605 crew 605 crew putting on fire putting on fire line gearline gear

11 personnel 11 personnel on siteon site

33

Downdraft Downdraft from from cumulonimbus cumulonimbus cloud causes cloud causes wind to wind to increase and increase and change change directiondirection

This occurs This occurs approximately approximately 45 seconds after 45 seconds after E-605’s arrivalE-605’s arrival

Fire intensity Fire intensity and Rate-of-and Rate-of-Spread increaseSpread increase

44

55

E-605 w/ 3 E-605 w/ 3 drive up drive up canyon to the canyon to the blackblack

Chase 605 w/ 4 Chase 605 w/ 4 backs down backs down canyoncanyon

B-810 crew (2) B-810 crew (2) goes south on goes south on footfoot

Rifle Helitack Rifle Helitack (2) goes south (2) goes south on foot, leave a on foot, leave a chainsaw on chainsaw on the west side the west side of the roadof the road

66

B-810 B-810 (unstaffed) is (unstaffed) is left in where it left in where it was parked was parked facing outfacing out

77

Fire crosses Fire crosses Slaughter Slaughter Gulch RoadGulch Road

88

B-810 B-810 becomes becomes involved, involved, receives receives moderate moderate damagedamage

Rifle Helitack Rifle Helitack chainsaw is chainsaw is destroyeddestroyed

99

Approximately Approximately 5 minutes 5 minutes after the wind after the wind shift, heavy shift, heavy rains hit the rains hit the fire area, fire area, stopping fire stopping fire spreadspread

1010

18 WATCH OUT SITUATIONS • Fire not scouted and sized up.• In country not seen in daylight.• Safety zones and escape routes not identified.• Unfamiliar with weather and local factors influencing fire behavior• Uninformed on strategy, tactics, and hazards.• Instructions and assignments not clear.• No communication link between crewmembers and

supervisors.• Constructing line without safe anchor point.• Building line downhill with fire below.• Attempting frontal assault on fire.• Unburned fuel between you and the fire.• Cannot see main fire, not in contact with anyone who can.• On a hillside where rolling material can ignite fuel below.• Weather gets hotter and drier.• Wind increases and/or changes direction.• Getting frequent spot fires across line.• Terrain or fuels make escape to safety zones difficult.• Feel like taking a nap near fireline.

18 WATCH OUT SITUATIONS • Fire not scouted and sized up.• In country not seen in daylight.• Safety zones and escape routes not identified!• Unfamiliar with weather and local factors influencing fire behavior• Uninformed on strategy, tactics, and hazards.• Instructions and assignments not clear.• No communication link between crewmembers and

supervisors.• Constructing line without safe anchor point.• Building line downhill with fire below.• Attempting frontal assault on fire.• Unburned fuel between you and the fire.• Cannot see main fire, not in contact with anyone who can.• On a hillside where rolling material can ignite fuel below.• Weather gets hotter and drier.• Wind increases and/or changes direction.• Getting frequent spot fires across line.• Terrain or fuels make escape to safety zones difficult.• Feel like taking a nap near fireline.

18 WATCH OUT SITUATIONS • Fire not scouted and sized up.• In country not seen in daylight.• Safety zones and escape routes not identified!• Unfamiliar with weather and local factors influencing fire behavior• Uninformed on strategy, tactics, and hazards.• Instructions and assignments not clear.• No communication link between crewmembers and

supervisors.• Constructing line without safe anchor point!• Building line downhill with fire below.• Attempting frontal assault on fire.• Unburned fuel between you and the fire.• Cannot see main fire, not in contact with anyone who can.• On a hillside where rolling material can ignite fuel below.• Weather gets hotter and drier.• Wind increases and/or changes direction.• Getting frequent spot fires across line.• Terrain or fuels make escape to safety zones difficult.• Feel like taking a nap near fireline.

18 WATCH OUT SITUATIONS • Fire not scouted and sized up.• In country not seen in daylight.• Safety zones and escape routes not identified!• Unfamiliar with weather and local factors influencing fire behavior• Uninformed on strategy, tactics, and hazards.• Instructions and assignments not clear.• No communication link between crewmembers and

supervisors.• Constructing line without safe anchor point!• Building line downhill with fire below.• Attempting frontal assault on fire!• Unburned fuel between you and the fire.• Cannot see main fire, not in contact with anyone who can.• On a hillside where rolling material can ignite fuel below.• Weather gets hotter and drier.• Wind increases and/or changes direction.• Getting frequent spot fires across line.• Terrain or fuels make escape to safety zones difficult.• Feel like taking a nap near fireline.

18 WATCH OUT SITUATIONS • Fire not scouted and sized up.• In country not seen in daylight.• Safety zones and escape routes not identified!• Unfamiliar with weather and local factors influencing fire behavior• Uninformed on strategy, tactics, and hazards.• Instructions and assignments not clear.• No communication link between crewmembers and

supervisors.• Constructing line without safe anchor point!• Building line downhill with fire below.• Attempting frontal assault on fire!• Unburned fuel between you and the fire!• Cannot see main fire, not in contact with anyone who can.• On a hillside where rolling material can ignite fuel below.• Weather gets hotter and drier.• Wind increases and/or changes direction.• Getting frequent spot fires across line.• Terrain or fuels make escape to safety zones difficult.• Feel like taking a nap near fireline.

10 STANDARD FIRE ORDERS

1. Keep informed on fire weather conditions and forecasts2. Know what your fire is doing at all times.3. Base all actions on current and expected behavior of the

fire.4. Identify escape routes and make them known.5. Post lookouts when there is possible danger.6. Be alert. Keep calm. Think clearly. Act decisively.7. Maintain prompt communications with your forces, your

supervisor and adjoining forces.8. Give clear instructions and insure they are understood.9. Maintain control of your forces at all times.10.Fight fire aggressively, having provided for safety first.

10 STANDARD FIRE ORDERS

1. Keep informed on fire weather conditions and forecasts2. Know what your fire is doing at all times.3. Base all actions on current and expected behavior of

the fire!4. Identify escape routes and make them known.5. Post lookouts when there is possible danger.6. Be alert. Keep calm. Think clearly. Act decisively.7. Maintain prompt communications with your forces, your

supervisor and adjoining forces.8. Give clear instructions and insure they are understood.9. Maintain control of your forces at all times.10.Fight fire aggressively, having provided for safety first.

10 STANDARD FIRE ORDERS

1. Keep informed on fire weather conditions and forecasts2. Know what your fire is doing at all times.3. Base all actions on current and expected behavior of

the fire!4. Identify escape routes and make them known!5. Post lookouts when there is possible danger.6. Be alert. Keep calm. Think clearly. Act decisively.7. Maintain prompt communications with your forces, your

supervisor and adjoining forces.8. Give clear instructions and insure they are understood.9. Maintain control of your forces at all times.10.Fight fire aggressively, having provided for safety first.

10 STANDARD FIRE ORDERS

1. Keep informed on fire weather conditions and forecasts2. Know what your fire is doing at all times.3. Base all actions on current and expected behavior of

the fire!4. Identify escape routes and make them known!5. Post lookouts when there is possible danger.6. Be alert. Keep calm. Think clearly. Act decisively.7. Maintain prompt communications with your forces, your

supervisor and adjoining forces.8. Give clear instructions and insure they are understood.9. Maintain control of your forces at all times.10.Fight fire aggressively, having provided for safety first!