The Northwest Regulars #6 (NWR#6) were a Type 2 fire crew consisting of 21 members from two Ranger Districts in central Washington. Many of the crew members were young and inexperienced—over one-third were rookies in their first fire season with the Forest Service. Shortly after midnight on July 10, the NWR#6 crew was called up to assist in fighting the Libby South Fire. The crew was divided into three squads and headed by crew boss Ellreese Daniels and crew boss trainee Pete Kampen. Daniels was a twenty-year veteran of the Forest Service who had previously served as a division supervisor during the 1988 Yellowstone fires. Kampen—as crew boss trainee—was put in charge of overall tactics, while Daniels acted as a supervisor. This delegation of responsibilities led to confusion among the crew and dispatch as to who was in charge of the situation.