Long Point Fire Hit by Tree Fatality 1934

Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) crewmember William Mattison, based at the Tahoe-Ukiah CCC Camp near Nevada City, California, was mobilized with a fire crew to fight a fire near Grizzly Creek in the North Columbia area on the Tahoe National Forest. Mattison and two fellow crewmembers were assigned to watch two cat-faced trees burning on a steep slope 100 feet above Grizzly Creek. At approximately 0230 hours on the morning of August 13, one of the trees broke and fell toward the men, who--in the dark--could not judge the direction of the tree's fall. While his two comrades took refuge in the roots of a fallen tree, Mattison was struck. His injuries were determined to be a fractured skull, broken ribs, a broken arm and a broken leg. It is believed that he was killed instantly. 

Hit by Tree, Fatality