The Fatal Fire • Wildfire Fatalities • Who Gets Killed • What Causes Fatalities

Related Resources • About Wildland Firefighting • About Prescribed Burning • About Fire Weather • Fire Disasters

Elsewhere on the Web • Wildland Fire Safety • About Forest Fire Links

WENATCHEE, Washington, July 11, 2001

An untended campfire exploded out of control and overran firefighters, killing four of them in the nation's deadliest wildfire since 1994 (see South Canyon Fire). One of the firefighters was a veteran while three were newly hired.

 The fire, apparently sparked by an unattended campfire, quickly spread through stands of 80- to 100-year-old trees in an area left vulnerable by months of drought and unusually high temperatures.

The Forest Service identified the dead as Tom L. Craven, 30, of Ellensburg, the squad leader; Karen L. Fitzpatrick, 18, of Yakima; Devin A. Weaver, 21, of Yakima; and Jessica L. Johnson, 19, of Yakima.

The Latest Forest Service Fire and Aviation News Report:

The Thirty Mile Fire was first discovered during the evening of July 9. An unattended camp fire is the suspected cause. During the afternoon of July 10, 2001, high winds developed causing the Thirty Mile Fire in the Chewuch River Valley, north of Winthrop, WA to blow up and grow from approximately 5 acres to over 2500 acres within 2 ½ hours.

Twenty-one firefighters and two civilians were entrapped in a narrow canyon of the Chewuch River Valley. Fires shelters were deployed in an area surrounded by fire on all sides. Four firefighters were killed and another four firefighters and two civilians were injured. Most of the injured are either in satisfactory condition or have been treated and released with one exception. One firefighter was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, WA and is listed as serious and stable.

"This is a great tragedy and loss that is felt by all firefighters and agency employees everywhere," said Sonny J. O'Neal Forest Service Supervisor of the Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forests. "Firefighters are a family and any time a firefighter is killed, grief is felt by all."

A national investigation team will visit the site today to determine the cause of the tragedy and to look for lessons that can improve firefighter safety everywhere. The national Type I incident management team is assembling  to assume responsibility for suppression of the Thirty Mile Fire.

Families of firefighters killed and injured have been notified. All firefighters entrapped were members of a combined crew from the Naches Ranger District and the Lake Wenatchee and Leavenworth Ranger District of the Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forests.

More News at http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/fire/30mile/index.html