Muddy Creek 2009

The Muddy Creek Fire was started by lightning on August 1, 2009. The fire was located on private lands outside of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) fire protection. On August 2, the Prineville District staff began monitoring the fire to assess threats to BLM-protected lands. On August 3, 2009, BLM staff made a decision to engage the fire on a limited basis with three engines and leadership.

The next day, resources were burning out a road that was improved by a dozer. Around 1730 hours, winds increased significantly, producing rapid rates of fire spread. When leaving the area, the engines encountered thick smoke along the dozer line and were unable to progress farther down their escape route. The Type 4 engine continued until it had secure black to drive into, the AFMO and remaining two engines fired out a grassy flat and parked the vehicles in the black as the main fire burned around them. There were no injuries or damaged equipment.

Entrapment, Narrow Escape