Firefighters Pause To Remember Storm King
July 6 Blaze Killed 14 Firefighters
POSTED: 2:40 p.m. MDT July 5, 2002
UPDATED: 3:47 p.m. MDT July 5, 2002
DENVER -- More than 5,200 people battling wildfires in five states including Colorado will pause to remember their fallen comrades on Friday, the eighth anniversary of the Storm King Mountain Fire.
The Storm King blaze, which occurred July 6, 1994, killed 14 firefighters near Glenwood Springs. The wildland firefighters lost their lives when winds shifted, resulting in a "blow-up" fire condition that trapped them on the uphill and downwind position from a fire on Storm King Mountain.
The fourteen firefighters included smokejumpers Don Mackey, Roger Roth, and James Thrash; Prineville Hot Shots John Kelso, Kathi Beck, Scott Blecha, Levi Brinkley, Bonnie Holtby, Rob Johnson, Tami Bickett, Doug Dunbar, and Terri Hagen; and helitack crew members Richard Tyler and Robert Browning.
Browning and Tyler died when their escape route was cut off by a large drop and they were overrun by the approaching fire.
The other firefighters were killed as they ran towards the ridgeline to escape the fire advancing from below.
Several other firefighters in various other locations on the mountain became trapped by the flames but were able to make it to safe positions or deploy their emergency shelters.
A year after the fire, a special firefighter's memorial was dedicated to the victims in Two Rivers Park which sits in the shadow of Storm King Mountain. A special memorial trail also winds its way up Storm King Mountain, with crosses placed where the 14 firefighters died.
Firefighters in Colorado, Wyoming, South Dakota, and North Dakota on Saturday will take about 30 minutes to review the lessons learned from that fire and other tragedies.
They will talk about fatigue, extreme fire behavior indicators and complex aviation operations.
The Coal Seam fire, which erupted on June 8 near Glenwood Springs, was close to the location of the Storm King Fire. It has burned more than 12,000 acres and destroyed 29 homes. The fire was 100 percent contained by Thursday.
Six firefighters have died in Colorado this season -- considered the worst wildfire season the state has ever faced.
Five hot-shot firefighters were killed June 21 on Interstate 70 in a van crash en route to the Hayman fire.
Firefighter Alan Wyatt died earlier this week when a tree fell on him at the Missionary Ridge fire near Durango. He was working with a spotter.
"Clearly, this season is shaping up to be sadly historic in terms of displaced people, homes destroyed, and acres burned," said Len Dems, chairman of the Rocky Mountain Coordinating Group in Denver. "High temperatures, extremely low humidity, and strong erratic winds have combined to make for a dangerous summer of wildfires."
In the Rocky Mountain region, there are currently 5,235 firefighters and support personnel working to control more than 330,000 acres of wildland fires.
Additional Resources:
The Storm King blaze, which occurred July 6, 1994, killed 14 firefighters near Glenwood Springs. The wildland firefighters lost their lives when winds shifted, resulting in a "blow-up" fire condition that trapped them on the uphill and downwind position from a fire on Storm King Mountain.
The fourteen firefighters included smokejumpers Don Mackey, Roger Roth, and James Thrash; Prineville Hot Shots John Kelso, Kathi Beck, Scott Blecha, Levi Brinkley, Bonnie Holtby, Rob Johnson, Tami Bickett, Doug Dunbar, and Terri Hagen; and helitack crew members Richard Tyler and Robert Browning.
Browning and Tyler died when their escape route was cut off by a large drop and they were overrun by the approaching fire.
The other firefighters were killed as they ran towards the ridgeline to escape the fire advancing from below.
Several other firefighters in various other locations on the mountain became trapped by the flames but were able to make it to safe positions or deploy their emergency shelters.
A year after the fire, a special firefighter's memorial was dedicated to the victims in Two Rivers Park which sits in the shadow of Storm King Mountain. A special memorial trail also winds its way up Storm King Mountain, with crosses placed where the 14 firefighters died.
Firefighters in Colorado, Wyoming, South Dakota, and North Dakota on Saturday will take about 30 minutes to review the lessons learned from that fire and other tragedies.
They will talk about fatigue, extreme fire behavior indicators and complex aviation operations.
The Coal Seam fire, which erupted on June 8 near Glenwood Springs, was close to the location of the Storm King Fire. It has burned more than 12,000 acres and destroyed 29 homes. The fire was 100 percent contained by Thursday.
Six firefighters have died in Colorado this season -- considered the worst wildfire season the state has ever faced.
Five hot-shot firefighters were killed June 21 on Interstate 70 in a van crash en route to the Hayman fire.
Firefighter Alan Wyatt died earlier this week when a tree fell on him at the Missionary Ridge fire near Durango. He was working with a spotter.
"Clearly, this season is shaping up to be sadly historic in terms of displaced people, homes destroyed, and acres burned," said Len Dems, chairman of the Rocky Mountain Coordinating Group in Denver. "High temperatures, extremely low humidity, and strong erratic winds have combined to make for a dangerous summer of wildfires."
In the Rocky Mountain region, there are currently 5,235 firefighters and support personnel working to control more than 330,000 acres of wildland fires.
Additional Resources:- Storm King Executive Summary
- Storm King Fire Report
- Final Storm King Report
- Storm King Fire Memorial Trail
Previous Stories:
- July 4, 2002: Threat Of Flash Flood Forces Glenwood Springs Evacuations
- July 4, 2002: Firefighter Killed Was Working Without Spotter
- July 3, 2002: Probe Under Way Into Firefighter's Death
- June 22, 2002: Van Crash Kills 4 On Wildfire Crew
- June 20, 2002: Coal Seam Fire 90 Percent Contained
- June 12, 2002: Glenwood Springs Fire 25 Percent Contained
- June 10, 2002: Coal Seam Firefighters Hope Weather Cooperates
- June 9, 2002: Air Tankers Fighting Coal Seam Fire Grounded
- June 8, 2002: Glenwood Springs Fire Gets Out Of Control
- July 11, 2001: Forest Fire Deaths Bring Back Storm King Memories
Copyright 2002 by TheDenverChannel.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
