Thorne Fire Entrapment 2019

An engine arrived to initial attack the Thorne Fire in Monterey County, California, on September 1, 2019, with personnel in a mixture of structural and wildland personal protective equipment. The CAL FIRE Fire Captain (FC-1) made positive contact with the Incident Commander and was given directions to initiate a hoselay on the active flank of the fire. FC-1 drove to the head of the fire and attempted a hoselay from the dirt road, up the cut-bank, toward the top of the hill. This proved unsuccessful so FC-1 moved the engine down the dirt road and prepared for a second hoselay. The fire outran their position again so they decided to move the engine further South down the dirt road. The decision was then made to engage in a firing operation. While conducting the firing operation, a wind shift created a spot fire which then burned over their position. Two entrapped firefighters lay on the ground as the fire passed over, while a third jumped through the flaming front. All three firefighters received burn injuries and were medevacked by agency helicopter and air ambulances to burn centers. 

Engines, Firing, Burn Injury, Initial Attack, Entrapment