Firefighter Injured on Pine Fire - Dozer

Incident: Pine
Released: 2 days ago

California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection

U.S. Forest Service - Cleveland National Forest

Firefighter Injured on Pine Fire

A short time ago a CAL FIRE employee received burn injuries while fighting the Pine Fire. The burns are not considered life threatening however as a precaution the firefighter was flown to the UCSD Burn Center. No further information will be forthcoming until family notifications can be made.

Updated: from San Digo news - A bulldozer operator suffered major burns to his arms and hands Wednesday as he worked near Corte Madera Road.

BLUE SHEET
PRELIMINARY SUMMARY
24 HOUR REPORT

(CALFIRE Shield) & (Forest Service Shield)

Pine Fire
Wildland Fire Entrapment
Minor Burn Injuries
Bulldozer Damage
September 12, 2007
Pine Fire
07-CNF-002463
CA-CSR-000087

This Preliminary Summary Report is intended as an aid in accident prevention, and to provide factual information from the first 24 hours of the accident review. To that end it is published and distributed within a short time frame. Information contained within may be subject to revision as further investigation is conducted, and other reports and documents are received.

Synopsis

The following information is a preliminary summary of a wildland fire entrapment and burn over of a CAL FIRE bulldozer. One CAL FIRE Heavy Fire Equipment Operator (HFEO) received burns to his hands and face. One CAL FIRE D-6C bulldozer incurred moderate burn damages.

Narrative

On September 12, 2007, at approximately 1238 hours, a fire of undetermined cause started on Corte Madera Road in Oak Valley in south eastern San Diego County on the Cleveland National Forest. Weather observations from the nearby Descanso RAWS included Temperature 93ºF; Relative Humidity 15%; Winds W-NW 6 mph with gusts to 13 mph.

CAL FIRE Dozer 3346 was dispatched to the Pines Fire and assigned to Division “B”. At approximately 1620 hours, CAL FIRE Dozer and its HFEO were found by the Incident Safety Officer and assigned Dozer Boss approximately 200 feet within the burn. The HFEO received minor 2nd degree burns to both hands, and portions of his face, and was transported by air ambulance to a burn center for treatment where he was admitted for treatment.

An interagency United States Forest Service and CAL FIRE accident investigation team has been assigned.