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Accident Report
BATTLEMENT CREEK FIRE
Fatalities & Injury
July 17, 1976

Cover and Contents

Foreward

I. Events Prior to Accident

  1. Location
  2. National Fire Situation
  3. Fire Environment
    1. Weather
    2. Topography
    3. Vegetation and Fuels
  4. Origin and Initial Suppression Effort

II. Fire Behavior and Burning Sequence on July 16 and 17, 1976

  1. General Situation
  2. Prior Weather
  3. Fire Behavior Appraisal
  4. Fire Behavior July 16
  5. Burning Sequence July 17
  6. Chaparral Model Nomograph
  7. Fire Behavior Summary

III. Suppression Effort and Accident Sequence

  1. Accident Sequence
  2. Post-Accident Rescue and Medical Action

IV. Investigation

V. Organization and Management

  1. Fire Overhead and Crew Assignments 7/16-7/17/76
  2. Overhead Qualification and Experience
  3. Crew Qualification and Experience
  4. Logistical Support
  5. Fire Planning and Intelligence
  6. Aviation Management Activity

VI. Findings

  1. Mechanical Factors
  2. Physical Factors
  3. Human Factors
    1. Crew
    2. Overhead
  4. Management Factors

VII. APPENDIX

Battlement Creek Fire 1976-2006: Thirty Years of Lessons Learned, Powerpoint presentation for the Colorado Fire Training Officers Association, .ppt file, 3.7 mb

No Fire Shelters in British Columbia, July 25, 2005 safety bulletin explaining their change in policy, .pdf file, 2.2 mb

 

 

 

Accident Report
BATTLEMENT CREEK FIRE
Fatalities & Injury
July 17, 1976

US Department of the Interior
Bureau of Land Management
State of Colorado —
          Grand Junction District

ACCIDENT REPORT

BATTLEMENT CREEK FIRE
FATALITIES & INJURY
JULY 17, 1976

US DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
STATE OF COLORADO
GRAND JUNCTION DISTRICT

SUBMITTED BY:

Jack F. Wilson
Co-Chairman

R. Max Peterson
Co-Chairman

Robert Mutch

Edward G. Heilman

James R. Abbott

Clyde A. O'Dell

Harold J. Baer, Jr.

ACCEPTED BY:

Curt Berkland
Director
Bureau of Land Management
U. S. Department of the Interior

John R. McGuire
Chief
Forest Service
U. S. Department of Agriculture

CONTENTS

  Page
FOREWORD 1
I.  EVENTS PRIOR TO ACCIDENT
 4
  A. Location
 4
  B. National Fire Situation
 4
  C. Fire Environment
 6
       1. Weather
 6
       2. Topography
 7
       3. Vegetation and Fuels
 13
  D. Origin and Initial Suppression Effort
 18
II.  FIRE BEHAVIOR AND BURNING SEQUENCE ON JULY 16 AND 17, 1976
 24
  A. General Situation
 24
  B. Prior Weather
 28
  C. Fire Behavior Appraisal
 36
  D. Fire Behavior July 16
 36
  E. Burning Sequence July 17
 37
  F. Chaparral Model Nomograph
 47
  G. Fire Behavior Summary
 48
III.  SUPPRESSION EFFORT AND ACCIDENT SEQUENCE
 50
  A. Accident Sequence
 50
  B. Post-Accident Rescue and Medical Action
 61
IV.  INVESTIGATION
 65
V.  ORGANIZATION and MANAGEMENT
 71
  A. Fire Overhead and Crew Assignments 7/16-7/17/76
 71
  B. Overhead Qualification and Experience
 75
  C. Crew Qualification and Experience
 80
  D. Logistical Support
 84
  E. Fire Planning and Intelligence
 84
  F. Aviation Management Activity
 85
VI.  FINDINGS
 89
  A. Mechanical Factors
 89
  B. Physical Factors
 89
  C. Human Factors 90
       1. Crew
 90
       2. Overhead
 91
  D. Management Factors
 		91
VII. APPENDIX  

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