Canyon 66 Rollover 2019

The Canyon 66 Prescribed Fire was conducted September 3-4, 2019. At approximately 1120 on September 3, the Fire Effects Monitor (FEMO) retrieved a vehicle from the test fire location and attempted to meet up with a trainee ahead of the lighters. The road was a narrow, rutted two-track on a side-hill. The burn was on the slope below the road, driver-side. During the short drive, the smoke was rapidly increasing. Continuing along the road, the FEMO passed a UTV that was stopped, then began to follow. Smoke was billowing up over the road. Every few seconds it would clear as a draft of clean air was pulled down into the fire.

At about 1130 the road became invisible in extremely thick smoke. The FEMO considered stopping, but heat felt through the side window from flaming stumps along the road edge could have blistered the truck’s paint or damaged tires. Concern for the folks following in the UTV having to breathe that smoke and belief that clearer air was just ahead prompted continued travel. While creeping at an estimated 2 mph, the FEMO felt for the upper slope edge with the truck’s right front tire. After a couple seconds, the upper slope could not be felt. The FEMO therefore thought the road had curved. While turning slightly to the right, the FEMO felt the back left tire drop a little, giving the impression that the rear driver side tire was close to the downhill edge of the road.

Standing up on the driver-side window, unable to open the passenger-side door above, the FEMO couldn’t see anything but smoke through the cracked windshield. “I called out a medical emergency on the radio, thinking the truck would soon be on fire. I put on my hardhat and tried to get my gloves off my pack which was buried under a pile of other gear. Then I heard someone outside shout ‘Are you ok in there?’ That told me it was safe enough outside, so I kicked out the windshield and a responder helped me climb out. I was utterly confused to find that I was still on the road—a reality that did not match my perception of the event.”

RLS, Prescribed Fire, Driving, Vehicle Incident or Accident