SAFETY GRAM 2017
Fatalities, Entrapments and Serious Accident Summary for 2017 (http://www.nwcg.gov/committees/risk-management-committee/resources) The following data indicates the fatalities, entrapments, burnovers and other life threatening accidents and injuries associated with wildfire during calendar year 2017. The information was collected by the NWCG Risk Management Committee and the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center. Confirmation of the fatalities is verified with data from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). This information is final as of 2/23/2018.
Date Agency/Entity Incident Name Activity of Personnel Type of Number # Jurisdiction Injuries/Treatment Involved Accident of Shelters Location People Deployed Fatalities 2/7 UTV Rollover Prescribed Fire UNK Vehicle 1 Injured Wrist/ Soft SC Rollover Cast
2/13 UTV Rollover Prescribed Fire UNK Vehicle 1 First Aid SC Rollover
2/14 Brush Fire Structure Protection Local Government Medical 1 1 Suspected Heart Bassfied VFD Heart Attack Attack MS 2/17 Ringling Fire Initial Attack Local Government Burnover/Entrapment 1 2nd and 3rd degree Ringling burns. Sent to burn OK center 2/19 Dozer Transport Tire Prescribed Fire Federal/USFS Vehicle 1 Minor Failure Davie Crocket NF TX
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Date Agency/Entity Incident Name Activity of Personnel Type of Number # Jurisdiction Injuries/Treatment Involved Accident of Shelters Location People Deployed Fatalities 2/28 Project Work Injury Chainsaw State/CalFire Hazard Tree 1 Numerous, CalFire Operations Hospitalized CA
3/13 Tree Cutting Injury Chainsaw Federal/USFS Hazard Tree 1 Separated shoulder, USFS Operations Hospitalized MO
3/23 119 Road Fire Entrapment Initial Attack Local Government Burnover/Entrapment 3 1 with 1st and 2nd Seminole VFD degree burns, 1 with OK bruised ribs
4/3 Arizona Engine Rhabdo Fitness Training UNK Medical 1 Rhabdo, AZ Rhabdomyolysis Hospitalized 5 days
4/6 New Mexico IHC Rhabdo Fitness Training Federal Medical 1 Rhabdo, NM Rhabdomyolysis Hospitalized 8 days
4/16 Doubleside Fire Tractor Initial Attack State/Florida Forest Burnover 1 UNK Plow Service State FL 4/24 Tractor Burnover w/ Initial Attack State/Georgia Burnover 1 1st and 2nd degree Injuries Forestry Commission burns. Transported McIntosh County to local hospital GA 5/1 IHC Heat Related Illness Fitness Training Federal/USFS Medical 1 Heat related injury, Sierra NF Heat Illness Hospitalized CA
5/2 Marion County Aviation County/Marion Aviation 1 UNK, Hospitalized FL Helicopter County Sheriff’s Department
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Date Agency/Entity Incident Name Activity of Personnel Type of Number # Jurisdiction Injuries/Treatment Involved Accident of Shelters Location People Deployed Fatalities 5/4 IHC PT Rhabdo Fitness Training Federal/USFS Medical 1 Rhabdo, Wasatch Cache NF Rhabdomyolysis Hospitalized UT
5/7 West Mimms Tractor Plow Line Construction State/Georgia Burnover 1 Operator evaluated Entrapment Forestry Commission at hospital. No Okefenokee NWR reported injuries GA 5/9 CA Type 1 Crew Rhabdo Fitness Training Local Government Medical 1 Rhabdo, CA Rhabdomyolysis Hospitalized 3 days
5/14 Crane Island Fire Tractor UNK State/Florida Forest Burnover 1 UNK Plow Burnover Service Okeechobee District FL 5/20 Kern County FD Fatality Post-Wildland Fire County/Kern County Medical 1 1 UNK Kern County Training FD CA
5/21 UTV Floorboard Fire Prescribed Fire Federal/BLM Vehicle UNK None reported Alaska Fire Service AK
5/23 South Dakota Engine Work Capacity Test UNK Medical 1 Rhabdo, Rhabdo Arduous Rhabdomyolysis Hospitalized on 2 SD occasions
5/24 Ishi Incident Fatality Fuels Management State/CalFire Hazard Tree 2 1 Crewmembers Six Rivers NF struck by falling tree. CA 1 fatality
5/24 Utah IHC Rhabdo Fuels Management UNK Medical 1 Rhabdo, UT Rhabdomyolysis treated and released same day
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Date Agency/Entity Incident Name Activity of Personnel Type of Number # Jurisdiction Injuries/Treatment Involved Accident of Shelters Location People Deployed Fatalities 5/26 Oregon Smokejumper Fitness Training Federal/USFS Medical 1 Rhabdo, Rhabdo Rhabdomyolysis Hospital visit OR
5/29 Memphis VFD Fatality Initial Attack Local Government Vehicle 2 1 1 fatality, 1 Memphis VFD Rollover transported to MO hospital
6/9 Boundary Fire Broken Leg Structure Protection Federal/USFS Medical 1 Broken Leg, Coconino NF Fracture Hospitalized AZ
6/10 Temple Fire Burn Injury Line Construction Federal/BLM Medical 1 Burn Injury, Northwest CO Interagency Burns Hospitalized CO
6/12 Dead Dog Fire Vehicle Driving Federal/BLM Vehicle 2 None reported Accident At Incident BLM WY 6/13 Highline Fire Rhabdo Line Construction Federal/USFS Medical 1 Rhabdo, Tonto NF Rhabdomyolysis Hospitalized 1 day AZ
6/21 Golden Fire Burn Injury Initial Attack Santa Fe County Medical 1 Burn Injury, BLM Burns Hospitalized NM
6/22 Nara Visa VFD Initial Attack Local Government Burnover/Entrapment 2 1 1 fatality, 1 burn Entrapment Fatality VFD injury Obar NM 6/22 Oregon Type 2IA Rhabdo Mop-Up UNK Medical 1 Rhabdo, Location UNKN Rhabdomyolysis Hospitalized 2 days
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Date Agency/Entity Incident Name Activity of Personnel Type of Number # Jurisdiction Injuries/Treatment Involved Accident of Shelters Location People Deployed Fatalities 6/24 Cable Fire Dozer Initial Attack Federal/USFS Heavy Equipment 1 Minor injury to right Swamper Close Call State/CalFire hand San Bernardino County CA 6/24 Type 2 Crew Rhabdo Line Construction UNK Medical 1 Rhabdo, UT Rhabdomyolysis IMT Medical Unit treatment
6/25 Medical Emergency in Driving Federal/USFS Medical 1 Hospitalized, Travel Status Responding to Rhabdomyolysis later diagnosed with Shoshone NF Incident rhabdomyolysis WY 7/1 Crescent Fire Burn Injury Extended Attack Federal/USFS Medical 1 2nd Degree burns, Plumas NF Burns Hospitalized at burn CA center
7/5 Lakeside Chainsaw Chainsaw State/CalFire Other 1 1 Chainsaw cut, DOD: 7/11 Incident Fatality Operations Chainsaw Operations hospitalized for 6 Lakeside days then passed CA away 7/7 Utah Engine Rhabdo Case Mop-Up UNK Medical 1 Rhabdo and heat UT Rhabdomyolysis related injury, Hospitalized 1 day
7/8 Six Rivers Physical Fitness Training Federal/USFS Medical 1 1 1 fatality. First Aid Training Fatality and Medevac Six Rivers NF CA 7/8 Parkfield Fire Entrapment Initial Attack State/CalFire Entrapment 1 Burn injuries, San Luis Obispo transported to CA hospital
7/8 Whittier Fire Chainsaw Cut Chainsaw Federal/USFS Other 1 Chainsaw cut to Los Padres NF Operations Chainsaw Operations hand, CA Hospitalized
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Date Agency/Entity Incident Name Activity of Personnel Type of Number # Jurisdiction Injuries/Treatment Involved Accident of Shelters Location People Deployed Fatalities 7/16 Demob Vehicle Accident Driving Federal/USFS Vehicle 1 None reported USFS Returning from WA Incident
7/19 Florence Fire Fatality Initial Attack Contractor Hazard Tree 1 1 Transported to Lolo NF hospital. Deceased MT after arrival
7/21 Martin Fire MVA Initial Attack Federal/USFWS Vehicle 6 6 transported to Black Hills NF Federal/USFS hospital for SD Federal/NPS evaluation, none admitted 7/24 Preacher Fire Entrapment Extended Attack Federal/USFS Entrapment 1 Transported to Carson City District BLM hospital then burn NV center for airway assessment 7/24 101-1 Fire Heat Related Mop-Up State/Texas Forest Medical 3 Heat related injuries, Illness Service Heat Illness 3 transported to Palo Pinto County hospital TX 7/28 IMT Demob Vehicle Driving State/IMT Vehicle 1 Lower back injury, Accident Returning from transported to MT Incident hospital
7/28 Flat Top Mountain Fire Initial Attack Local Government Medical 1 Rhabdo, Rhabdo VFD Rhabdomyolysis Hospitalized OK overnight
7/31 Stuart Fire Smokejumper Initial Attack Federal/USFS Medical 1 Fractured pelvis and Injury Fracture two broken ribs, Lolo NF Hospitalized MT 8/1 Devils Lake Fire Hit by Chainsaw Federal/USFS Hazard Tree 1 No reported injuries, Tree Operations transported to Fremont-Winema NF medical center OR
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Date Agency/Entity Incident Name Activity of Personnel Type of Number # Jurisdiction Injuries/Treatment Involved Accident of Shelters Location People Deployed Fatalities 8/1 Pole Creek Fire Heat Mop-Up State/DOC Medical 1 Heat related injury, Related Illness Heat Illness flown to hospital Elko BLM NV 8/2 Lolo Peak Fire Fatality Chainsaw Federal/USFS Hazard Tree 1 1 1 fatality on-scene Lolo NF Operations MT
8/3 Sandy Fire Hit by Tree UNK Contractor Hazard Tree 1 Neck and shoulder Shasta-Trinity NF pain, transported to CA hospital
8/4 Minerva Fire Hit by Tree Chainsaw Federal/USFS Hazard Tree 1 First aid and Plumas NF Operations medevac CA
8/4 Devils Lake Fire HRI UNK Federal/USFS Medical 1 Heat related injury, Fremont-Winema NF Heat Illness hospital visit OR
8/10 Lightning Strike in Camp Fire Camp UNK Medical 3 Headache and neck Swan River State Forest pain, transported to MT medical center
8/18 Chetco Bar Fire Engine Structure Protection State/DNR Entrapment 3 None reported Entrapment Rogue River-Siskiyou NF OR 8/23 Rice Ridge Fire Burn Fire Camp UNK Medical 1 Burn injury to feet, Injury Burns transported to Lolo NF hospital then to a MT burn center 8/27 Chetco Bar Fire Extended Attack UNK Entrapment 4 None reported Entrapment Rogue River-Siskiyou NF OR
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Date Agency/Entity Incident Name Activity of Personnel Type of Number # Jurisdiction Injuries/Treatment Involved Accident of Shelters Location People Deployed Fatalities 8/27 Miller Fire Complex Driving Contractor Vehicle 3 Driver: serious back Engine Rollover At Incident Rollover injury, ankle, and Umatilla NF lower leg; OR Crewmember #2: knee injury. Crewmember #3: neck abrasion. 3 transported to hospital 8/30 Pleasant Fire Dozer Burn Initial Attack Contractor Burnover/Entrapment 1 1 Smoke inhalation Over and dizziness, Northern Region transported to CA hospital
8/31 Los Padres NF Vehicle Driving Federal/USFS Vehicle 1 1 1 fatality on-scene Accident Fatality Returning from Los Padres NF Incident CA 9/2 Liberty Fire Entrapment Extended Attack Federal/USFS Entrapment 3 None reported Flathead Agency MT
9/2 Jade Creek Fire Tree Chainsaw Federal/USFS Hazard Tree 1 First aid and Strike Operations Federal/BLM medevac, Okanogan-Wenatchee NF transported to WA hospital 9/3 Whitewater Fire Faller Hit Chainsaw Federal/USFS Hazard Tree 1 Laceration and by Tree Top Operations bruised shoulder, Willamette NF transported to OR hospital 9/3 Pyramid Peak Fire Initial Attack Federal/USFS Hazard Tree 1 UNK Medical Extraction Wallowa-Whitman NF OR
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Date Agency/Entity Incident Name Activity of Personnel Type of Number # Jurisdiction Injuries/Treatment Involved Accident of Shelters Location People Deployed Fatalities 9/4 Railroad Fire Burn Injury Mop-Up Local Government Medical 1 Burn injury to hand, Sierra NF Burns transported to CA hospital
9/6 Chetco Bar Fire Cardiac Fire Camp Contractor Medical 1 Collapsed then CPR Event Heart Attack and medevac, Rogue River-Siskiyou NF transported to OR cardiac center 9/10 Norse Peak Fire Burn Mop-Up UNK Medical 1 Burns to both hands Injury Burns and wrists, Okanogan/Wenatchee NF transported to WA hospital 9/11 Jolly Mountain Fire Water Driving Local Government Vehicle 1 Minor facial Tender Rollover At Incident Rollover lacerations Okanogan-Wenatchee NF WA 9/12 Rice Ridge Fire Structure Protection Federal/USFS Entrapment 2 1 None reported Entrapment Lolo NF MT 9/12 Hauser Road Engine Driving Federal/USFS Vehicle 3 One broken rib and Rollover Returning from Rollover minor cuts, treated Montrose Dispatch Incident and released CO 9/23 Kelsey/Jones Fire Faller Chainsaw Contractor Hazard Tree 1 Hit by branch, Hit by Branch Operations treated and released Willamette NF OR 9/26 Engine Wheel Stud Driving Federal/BLM Vehicle 4 None reported Malfunction Returning from Princeton Incident OR
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Date Agency/Entity Incident Name Activity of Personnel Type of Number # Jurisdiction Injuries/Treatment Involved Accident of Shelters Location People Deployed Fatalities 10/2 Liberty Fire Excavator Tip Post-Suppression Contractor Heavy Equipment 1 None reported Over Flathead Agency MT 10/7 Brian Head Fire BAER Post-Suppression Contractor Other 1 1 Blunt force trauma Fatality Struck by Object from falling debris Utah DNR UT 10/14 Work Capacity Test Work Capacity Test Local Government Medical 1 Fatigue, tight chest Rhabdo Arduous Rhabdomyolysis and headache, Virginia DOF treated at hospital VA 10/16 Nuns Fire Water Tender Driving Contractor Vehicle 1 1 1 fatality on-scene Fatality At Incident Rollover Napa CA 10/19 Mendocino Lake Complex Driving Local Government Vehicle 1 Fractured collar Vehicle Rollover Rollover bone and minor Novato laceration, treated CA and released 10/26 Coyote RX Fire Prescribed Fire Federal/USFS Entrapment 6 None reported Entrapment Coconino NF AZ 11/3 Work Capacity Test Heart Work Capacity Test Federal/USFS Medical 1 Short of breath, Attack Arduous Heart Attack staggering then Huron Manistee NF collapsed, MI transported to hospital 12/5 Creek Fire Dozer Rollover Initial Attack City/Los Angeles FD Heavy Equipment 1 Laceration to the Los Angeles County Rollover head and multiple CA contusions to the upper torso
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Date Agency/Entity Incident Name Activity of Personnel Type of Number # Jurisdiction Injuries/Treatment Involved Accident of Shelters Location People Deployed Fatalities 12/9 Thomas Fire Entrapment Firing Operations State/CalFire Burnover/Entrapment 68-est 3 None reported Los Padres NF CA
12/9 Tom’s Mill Fire Hit by Tree Chainsaw Contractor Hazard Tree 1 Three fractures to Ozark-St. Francis NF Operations his pelvis. Four days AR in the hospital
12/11 Oklahoma VFD Vehicle Driving Local Government Vehicle 1 1 Transported to Accident Fatality VFD hospital. Passed OK away on 12/14/17
12/14 Thomas Fire Entrapment Extended Attack State/CalFire Entrapment 1 1 Fatal thermal injuries Fatality and smoke Fillmore inhalation CA
Total 186 5 14
For calendar year 2017 there have been 14 fatalities:
(4) Vehicle (2) Burnover/Entrapment (1) Fire apparatus rollover (1) Fell from the back of firefighting apparatus (2) Vehicle collisions (1) Entrapped while suppressing spot fires (1) Water tender rollover (3) Hazard Tree (1) Struck by green tree (3) Medical (1) Struck by tree (1) Heart attack (1) Faller struck by tree (1) Post-wildland fire training (1) Fitness training (2) Other (1) Laceration from chainsaw (1) Blunt force trauma from falling debris (0) Aviation
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The Risk Management Committee would like to request any Fire Agency/Organization that experiences a fatality(s), or entrapment(s) to follow the guidance provided in National Mobilization Guide , Chapter 10, page 8 Wildland Fire Entrapment / Fatality. In the event that a wildland fire entrapment or fatality occurs, it should be reported immediately to the National Interagency Coordination Center (NICC). A Wildland Fire Entrapment/Fatality Initial Report should be completed and mailed to NICC electronically or by fax machine within twenty-four (24) hours.
Annual Incident Review Summaries from the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center can be found at: https://www.wildfirelessons.net/viewdocument/annual-incident-review-summaries
Many specific accident investigation reports/reviews/analysis may be found at the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center repository at: http://www.wildfirelessons.net/IRDB
For corrections, please click here.
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