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| >     | > 6720                            | >  | > July 14, 2001     |
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| > Sub | > *[72 Hour Brief---Thirtymile    |    |                     |
| ject: | > Fire Fatality                   |    |                     |
|       | > Investigation]{.underline}*     |    |                     |
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| > To: | > Chief                           |    |                     |
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**[Narrative:]{.underline}**

Forest Service Northwest Regular #6 Type II Fire Crew was entrapped by
wildland fire, caused by an abandoned picnic cooking fire along Chewuch
River 30 miles north of Winthrop,Washington. Fourteen crew members were
involved in the entrapment, as well as two civilians who arrived at the
entrapment site while trying to exit the area following a camping
excursion. Fourteen shelters were deployed. One shelter contained one
Forest Service person and the two civilians. Ten Forest Service
personnel and the two civilians survived the burnover. Four individuals
deployed approximately 100\' upslope from the road. One person deployed
an unknown distance upslope from these four. The remaining people,
including the civilians, deployed on the road. After the initial
deployment some of the individuals relocated to the river. The
civilian\'s vehicle was destroyed by fire. The Forest Service vehicle
sustained minor damage, but was driveable.

**[Preliminary Factual Findings:]{.underline}**

1)  fourteen members of a 21-person fire crew were trapped after
    attempting to extinguish a spot fire adjacent to a road ahead of an
    uncontrolled fire;

2)  the initial crew assignment was reinforcement for the purpose of
    completing containment lines and mopup;

3)  the fire transitioned to active fire behavior during the early
    afternoon;

4)  after entrapment the crew took a position on a suitable deployment
    site;

5)  the crew had adequate time to prepare and deploy shelters; two
    civilians shared a shelter with one of the crew;

6)  10 Forest Service personnel and 2 civilians survived; 4 Forest
    Service personnel died;

7)  one survivor had severe burns and several others had minor burns;

8)  preliminary autopsy reports show cause of death was inhalation of
    superheated air;

9)  radio communication was not a contributing factor;

10) no significant weather event contributed to the entrapment;

11) the fire was located in a steep canyon, with a variety of fuel
    conditions and loadings (mixed conifer and riparian);

12) Energy Release Component was approaching maximum levels for this
    time of year.

JAMES R. FURNISH

Deputy Chief NFS

Investigation Team Leader

enclosure

  ---------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------------- -------------- --------------
  ***Thirty Mile Incident                                                                       
  Investigation Team***                                                                         

                                                            **Work Location**    **Work**       **Cell**

  **[Position]{.underline}**   **Name**        **Agency**   **Address**          **Phone**      **Phone**

  Team Leader                  Jim Furnish     USFS         National             202-205-1523   202-329-6086
                                                            Headquarters                        

                                                            P. O. Box 96090                     

                                                            Washington, DC                      
                                                            20090-6090                          

  Line Officer                 Kent            USFS         Pacific Southwest    707-562-9000   n/a
                               Connaughton                  Region                              

  Representative                                            1323 Club Drive                     

                                                            Vallejo, CA 94592                   

  Equipment Specialist         George Jackson  USFS         Missoula Technology  406-329-3967   406-240-3153
                                                            &                                   

                                                            Development Center                  406-240-8238

                                                            Fort Missoula Bldg                  
                                                            #1                                  

                                                            Missoula, MT 59804                  

  Fire Behavior                Rich Lasko      USFS         Northern Region      406-329-3232   406-239-5692

                                                            P. O. Box 7669                      

                                                            Missoula, MT 59807                  

  Human Factors                Tony Kern       USFS         National Interagency 208-344-3427   208-850-5357
                                                            Fire                                

                                                            Center                              

                                                            Industrial Drive                    

                                                            Boise, ID                           

  Safety Manager               Chuck Whitlock  USFS         Missoula Technology  406-329-3924   406-544-0617
                                                            &                                   

                                                            Development Center                  

                                                            Fort Missoula Bldg                  
                                                            #1                                  

                                                            Missoula, MT 59804                  

  Photographer/                Ben Croft       USFS         Missoula Technology  406-329-3900   406-360-3999
                                                            &                                   

  Videographer                                              Development Center                  

                                                            Fort Missoula Bldg                  
                                                            #1                                  

                                                            Missoula, MT 59804                  

  Fire Operations              Dave Dash       BLM-AK       Alaska Fire Service  907-356-5642   907-388-3089

                                                            P. O Box 35005                      

                                                            Fort Wainwright, AK                 
                                                            99703                               

  Weather Specialist           Brenda Graham   USFS         Northern California  530-226-2730   n/a

                                                            Service Center                      

                                                            6101 Airport Road                   

                                                            Redding, CA 96002                   

  Weather Specialist           Jim Prange      NWS          National Weather     206-526-6088   801-556-1259
                                                            Service                             

                                                            7600 Sand Pointway                  
                                                            N. E.                               

                                                            Seattle, WA                         
                                                            98115-0070                          

  Chief Investigator           Alan Chockie                 Link Technologies                   206-367-1908

                                                            Seattle, WA                         

  Compliance Officer           Michael         OSHA         OSHA- Bellevue       206-553-7520   206-696-2251
                               Bonkowski                                                        

  Leader                                                                                        

                                                            Bellevue, WA                        

  Compliance Officer           Dave Baker      OSHA         OSHA- Bellevue       206-553-7520   206-696-2249

                                                                                                

                                                            Bellevue, WA                        

  Plans/Documentation          Jeanne          USFS         Tahoe National       530-478-6221   530-93-2823
                               Pincha-Tulley                Forest                              

                                                            631 Coyote Street                   

                                                            Nevada City, CA                     
                                                            95959                               

  Documentation                Shari Miller    USFS         Okanogan-Wenatchee   509-662-4224   509-421-7002
                                                            NF                                  

                                                            215 Melody Lane                     

                                                            Wenatchee, WA 98801                 

  Equipment Specialist         Leslie Anderson USFS         Missoula Technology  406-329-1043   406-239-3932
                                                            &                                   

                                                            Development Center                  

                                                            Fort Missoula Bldg                  
                                                            #1                                  

                                                            Missoula, MT 59804                  

  Union Representative         Joe Duran       USFS         Los Padres National  805-925-9538   805-448-6617
                                                            Forest                              

                                                            1616 Carlotti Drive  ext. 220       

                                                            Santa Maria, CA                     
                                                            93454                               

  Law Enforcement              Bill McConnell  USFS         Colville National    509-684-7186   509-675-2186
                                                            Forest                              

  Liaison                                                   765 Main St.                        

                                                            Colville, WA 99114                  

  Information Officer          Ron DeHart      USFS         Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie                
                                                            NF                                  

                                                                                                

                                                            Mount Lake Terrace,                 
                                                            WA                                  

  GPS/GIS                      Ron Gross       USFS         Okanogan-Wenatchee   509-997-9752   home \#
                                                            NF                                  

                                                            Methow Valley RD     front office:  509-997-3237

                                                                                 509-997-2131   

                                                            Twisp, WA                           

  Okanogan-                    Troy Corn       USFS         Okanogan-Wenatchee   509-784-1511   509-679-9293
                                                            NF                                  

  Wenatchee Liaison                                         Entiat Ranger                       
                                                            District                            

                                                                                                

                                                            Entiat, WA                          
  ---------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------------- -------------- --------------