Point Fire 1995

Late in the afternoon of July 28, 1995, thunderstorms began to move into southwestern Idaho from northern Nevada. The thunderstorms produced little or no moisture, and the lightning associated with them sparked dozens of wildfires. At 1829, the Danskin Lookout reported a wildfire northeast of Initial Point, about 16 miles southwest of Boise, Idaho. Among the responding resources were engines from Kuna Rural Fire District. After Kuna RFD Engine 622 went to refill, Kuna RFD Engine 620 passed Engine 61 and Engine 67 on the west end of the fire line. Soon after, and for unknown reasons, Kuna RFD Engine 620 turned north on a two-track road at its intersection along the fire's northern perimeter. Kuna RFD Engine 620 traveled along the two-track road for 1,945 feet , where it turned off the two tracks and drove east and then north-northeast cross country another 1,786 feet through heavy sagebrush. At this point, the vehicle became disabled. At about 2046, the fire escaped from the northern perimeter at several locations, fanned by strong, Kuna Kuna southerly winds from the thunderstorm. Unable to move the engine out of the path of the quickly advancing fire, Bill Buttram and Josh Oliver were entrapped inside the vehicle. Both perished in the entrapment.