Dry Fire Entrapment 1959

On July 12, 1959, a handcrew was engaged in line construction on the Dry Fire on the Sequoia National Forest, California. Several times throughout this day due to threatening fire behavior they were forced into the black. James Bastady and another firefighter were sent to replenish drinking water for their crew while they constructed handline in hot weather. At 1230 hours (alternately reported as 1330 hours), the fire made another run while the two men returned with water and hiked along an adjacent ridge toward the rest of the crew. The fire crossed below these men, who were walking through the green to rejoin the crew. Warnings shouted by the crew were not heard until it was too late for the men to reach the black. They took refuge in a group of large rocks where they were entrapped by the fire for approximately 10 minutes and received burn injuries. Both men were evacuated by helicopter and taken to hospitals. Bastady was eventually admitted to the U.S. Public Health Hospital in San Francisco, where, five days later, he perished from his injuries. 

Entrapment, Fatality, Burn Injury, Hand Crews, Medevac