Jolly Mountain Fire Water Tender Accident 2017

On night shift, at approximately 1845, while driving to the fire line just a short distance outside of fire camp on a county road in a semi-rural area, a cooperator Water Tender drifted to the right-hand side of this narrow road that had a minimal shoulder. 

The Water Tender driver said that he felt the rear tires move off of the pavement onto the gravel shoulder. The driver reacted according to the previous training that he had received by letting off of the accelerator and slightly applying the brakes. The driver thought that once a slower speed was obtained he would then try to correct and pull the Water Tender back onto the pavement. The driver believes that when both rear tires went off of the pavement, this action pulled the truck into the ditch—where it hit an abrupt driveway causing it to tip over and land on its side. The Water Tender was full of water.

RLS