Williams Fire Entrapment Fatalities 1945

On July 28, 1945, Edward Gates, Dozer Operator for the Los Padres National Forest, and Paul Nesgis Assistant State Forest Ranger with the California Department of Forestry (Now CAL FIRE), were entrapped while suppressing a fire on Williams Hill in Monterey County, California. Nesgis was supervising the construction of dozer line by Gates and other dozers. At approximately 1600 hours, these two men were caught in a box canyon on the flank of Williams Hill. Gates abandoned his machine to attempt to escape on foot--but was overtaken by fire in the dense chaparral. After the fire was contained, Nesgis was reported as missing. His absence prompted a statewide search. It wasn't until March the next year that Nesgis' body was finally found on the side of Williams Hill, just outside the burned area. 

Williams Hill was the location of the Calandra Fire Lookout, a California Department of Forestry lookout tower named for Joseph Calandra, who was entrapped and killed on the Bixby Mountain Fire in 1939. 

Entrapment, Fatality, Heavy Equipment