Thirtymile Fire Fatalities 2001

The Thirtymile Fire was detected on Monday, July 9th, on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, Washington. Initial suppression activities began that evening. The Northwest Regulars #6, a 21-person Type 2 crew from the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, was dispatched to the Thirtymile Fire in the early morning hours of July 10th. By late afternoon, 14 crewmembers were actively suppressing spot fires between the river and the road when they were informed of the worsening situation that threatened their escape route. Finding they were cut off from escaping back down the road, these 14 became entrapped in the canyon. Crewmembers deployed fire shelters in multiple locations, including in a rock scree above the road. Four crewmembers perished in the rock scree deployment site, while another crewmember received serious burn injuries. 

Those lost on the Thirtymile Fire were: Tom Craven, Karen FitzPatrick, Jessica Johnson, and Devin Weaver.

Initial Attack, Hand Crews, Fatality, Fire Shelter Deployment, Burn Injury, Entrapment