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Name : (Optional) |
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Phone : (Optional) |
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EMail : (Optional) |
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Date Reported : |
08/30/2004 |
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Agency/Organization : |
USFS |
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State Agency : |
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Other Agency : |
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Event Date : |
08/17/2004 |
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Local Time : |
3:00 PM |
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Incident Name : |
SULPHUR |
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Incident Number : |
P4A5SC |
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State : |
ID |
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Jurisdiction : |
USFS |
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Local Unit : |
SCF |
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Incident Type : |
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Incident Activity : |
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Stage of Incident : |
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Wildland |
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Line |
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Demobe |
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Position Title : |
Incident Commander |
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Task : |
Wilderness Fire Suppression |
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Management Level : |
5 |
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Resources Involved : |
Crew Of Four |
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Contributing Factors : |
Environmental; Human Factors |
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Human Factors : |
Decision Making; Fatigue; Risk Assessment |
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Other Factors : |
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| Describe in detail what happened including the concern or potential issue, the environment (weather, terrain, fire behavior, etc), and the resulting safety/health issue. |
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On 8/17/2004, four personnel attempted to do a full pack out (100+ lbs per person with rappel gear, tools, saw, etc) to Sulphur Creek Airstrip after rappelling and suppressing a wilderness fire on the Salmon/Challis National Forest. The area had received significant rainfall the previous afternoon and night. August 17th brought heavier and steadier precipitation, including a flash-flooding weather alert. The wet weather made conditions very challenging. The fire was mid-slope, approximately 910 feet above the valley floor, through which Sulphur Creek ran. The fire was on a north aspect, with a thick mix of Douglas fir and lodge pole pine, with much dead and down. Slope was approximately 55% - 60%. These factors, in conjunction with the treacherous footing brought on by the heavy rain caused an individual to slip and slightly roll an ankle. After reaching the valley floor, the group proceeded to the west, towards the airstrip. After traveling another mile, conditions became impassable with full gear. Sulphur Creek, which is naturally braided and meandering, was swollen with run-off. The terrain became boggy, with standing water on game trails, and individuals began to sink nearly knee deep with every step. Additionally, the vegetation along the creek was impenetrably thick willow. At this time, the group was three hours into the pack out, and the rain had not moderated. The IC and IC trainee advised the group to hold up and went on ahead to try and locate a feasible route to the airstrip and returned unsuccessfully more than an hour later. During this time, the other two individuals had attempted and failed to start a warming fire. All personnel were soaked, and their gear was thoroughly saturated. The rain was still heavy, and temperatures were in the low 50's. The IC, after conferring with the group and notifying dispatch, elected to return to a great potential helispot about a half-mile behind. The IC stated safety concerns regarding the weather conditions and amount of run-off into the valley. The group returned to the potential helispot. The group successfully started a warming fire as the IC notified dispatch of status and gave coordinates of the helispot. At 1417, dispatch notified the IC that they couldn't use the helispot and had to go to the airstrip. Dispatch asked the IC what the reason for going back was. The IC again stressed safety concerns including weather and footing, and impressed the possibility of hypothermia. At 1435, per a District Ranger, the IC was notified that the heliport couldn't be used "unless it is a medical emergency." |
| Reporting Individual : please describe actions you took to correct or mitigate the unsafe/unheathful event. |
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Firefighter safety needs to be the number one priority, not wilderness policy or preventing intrusions. If management puts people into these situations, they need to trust the judgment of those actually on scene, not make arbitrary decisions from behind a desk. If I, as an IC or helicopter manager ever have safety concerns blown-off in the interest of wilderness policy again, I will discontinue to engage wilderness fires. |
AGENCY CORRECTIVE ACTIONS |
| Reserved space for Agencies Supplemental corrective Actions. |
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The group left the majority of their gear and proceeded to the airstrip with IA packs only. A pack string was subsequently used to retrieve the gear. |
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