COMMAND DECISIONS DURING CATASTROPHIC URBAN- INTERFACE WILDFIRE: A CASE STUDY OF THE 1993 ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, LAGUNA FIRE A THESIS Presented to the Department of Occupational Studies California State University, Long Beach In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies Emergency Services Administration Emphasis By Michael S. Rohde B.S., 1999, University of Phoenix August 2002 WE, THE UNDERSIGNED MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, HAVE APPROVED THIS THESIS COMMAND DECISIONS DURING CATASTROPHIC URBAN- INTERFACE WILDFIRE: A CASE STUDY OF THE 1993 ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, LAGUNA FIRE By Michael S. Rohde COMMITTEE MEMBERS Richard L. Resurreccion, Ed.D. (Chair) Occupational Studies James E. Koval, Ph.D. Family and Consumer Sciences Patrick McIntosh, M.S. Assistant Chief, Orange County, California, Fire Authority ACCEPTED AND APPROVED ON BEHALF OF THE UNIVERSITY Elizabeth Ambos, Ph.D. Acting Dean of Graduate Studies California State University, Long Beach August 2002 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This study is dedicated to the firefighters of California whose professional skill and drive for excellence are both exceptionally remarkable and unparalleled. It is the researcher’s hope that this study will provide information that can be used to inspire and improve firefighter safety and command for their most challenging moments. The researcher acknowledges the friendship and mentorship of Dr. Richard Resurreccion, without whose constant support, guidance, devoted personal interest, and years of urging my graduate degree would not have been possible. Thanks to Dr. James Koval and Chief Patrick McIntosh for their participation on my thesis committee, to Phyllis Parmet for her assistance, and to Chief Kirk Summers for his inspiration and brotherhood. To my long-time friends and work comrades with whom I experienced the Laguna Fire, especially Chiefs Chip Prather, Steve Whitaker, Jim Radley, Buck Henderson, Michael Moore, Rich Witesman, and Rich Dewberry, I express my great respect, admiration, and thanks for their courage to share of themselves here so that others may learn, and for the courage, determination, and skill that they demonstrated during that terrible fire My sincere thanks go to my mentors and teachers, the subject matter experts who have provided exemplary leadership and skill through so many fires and who shared with me both their years of experience and friendship: Chiefs Bill Teie, Bill Clayton, Gary Nelson, Tim Sappok, Mike Warren, John Hawkins, and Charles Manor. My wife, Rebecca, and my sons, Patrick and Taylor, have all my love and thanks for their years of support while I toiled in education. I would not be who I am without them. iii ABSTRACT COMMAND DECISIONS DURING CATASTROPHIC URBAN- INTERFACE WILDFIRE: A CASE STUDY OF THE 1993 ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, LAGUNA FIRE By Michael S. Rohde August 2002 The purpose of this study was to examine the challenges and commonalities experienced by the personnel who commanded six catastrophic California wildland- urban interface fires and how future fires of this nature might be commanded and prepared for. The study includes a description of strategies and tactics specific to the Laguna, Old Topanga, Kinneloa, Harmony, Paint, and Tunnel Fires. The Laguna Fire was studied in depth through recollections of those who performed in command functions during that fire. Commonalities were significant and uniform among the studied fires, suggesting that the experiences of the Laguna Fire participants mirrored those of the participants in the six studied fires and that they are likely indicative of potential experiences during future fires occurring under similar conditions. Subject matter experts commented on the Laguna Fire and other fires, contrasting their perceptions of those fires with industry best practices. These observations were then recommended for inclusion in fire command training curriculum. iv CHAPTER Page Copyright 2002 Michael S. Rohde ALL RIGHTS RESERVED v CHAPTER Page CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ..................................................................................... iii CHAPTER 1. PROBLEM FORMULATION ............................................................... 1 Research Problem ............................................................................ 2 Objectives of the Study .................................................................... 3 Significance of the Study ................................................................. 4 Limitations of the Study ................................................................... 5 Assumptions of the Study ................................................................ 6 Methods and Procedures .................................................................. 7 Organization of the Study ................................................................ 7 2. HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE .............................................................. 10 The Interface Fire Regime ............................................................... 10 Climate and Wind Factors ........................................................ 11 Human Cultural Fire Factors .................................................... 14 Fire Service Command Organization ........................................ 17 Command and Human Factors .................................................. 18 Fire Command Training ............................................................ 20 Fire Case Studies .............................................................................. 22 The Tunnel Fire ......................................................................... 23 The Paint Fire ............................................................................ 30 The Kinneloa Fire ..................................................................... 40 The Old Topanga Fire ............................................................... 45 The Harmony Fire ..................................................................... 56 Developing and Contemporary Fire Regimes ........................... 59 Lessons Learned ............................................................................... 64 Chapter Summary ............................................................................. 64 3. STUDY SETTING ................................................................................. 65 Natural Setting ................................................................................. 65 Fire Weather ..................................................................................... 68 Fire Services ..................................................................................... 69 The Fire Siege .................................................................................. 70 The Laguna Fire ............................................................................... 72 Immediate Postfire Issues ................................................................ 91 Chapter Summary ............................................................................. 92 vi CHAPTER Page 4. DOCUMENTATION OF INTERVIEWS .............................................. 94 Laguna Fire Participants .................................................................. 94 Charles “Chip” Prather, Incident Commander .......................... 95 Rich Dewberry, Laguna Beach Fire Chief (Retired) ................ 102 Steve Whitaker, Operations Section Chief ............................... 106 Michael S. Rohde, Planning Section Chief ............................... 113 James Radley, Department Administrative Duty Officer ......... 121 Richard Witesman, Law Enforcement Liaison ......................... 128 Harold (Buck) Henderson, Logistics Section Chief/Branch Director .............................................................................. 132 Michael Moore, Liaison Officer ............................................... 136 Subject Matter Experts ..................................................................... 138 Bill Clayton, Division Chief ..................................................... 139 Gary Nelson, Division Assistant Chief (Retired) ..................... 147 Tim Sappok, Division Chief ..................................................... 160 John Hawkins, Assistant Chief ................................................. 166 William C. Teie, Deputy Director for Fire Protection (Retired) ............................................................................. 170 Mike Warren, Fire Chief ........................................................... 174 Charles (Chuck) R. Manor, Deputy Chief ................................ 181 Chapter Summary ............................................................................. 185 5. RESEARCH OBSERVATIONS, FINDINGS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................................. 186 Observations ..................................................................................... 186 Major Fire Characteristics ......................................................... 187 Research Approach ................................................................... 191 The Orange County Fire Department ....................................... 192 Significance of Experience ....................................................... 194 Value of Prefire Planning .......................................................... 195 Media Relations ........................................................................ 196 Fire Organization