30-milefire

Four firefighters lost their lives Tuesday (July 10) at approximately 6 p.m. in what is being called "The Thirty Mile Fire" about 22 miles north of Winthrop in the Chewuch basin. Investigators discovered the remains of an unattended camp fire. The fire exploded from five acres to more 2,500 acres within two and a half hours Tuesday evening. A National Type 1 fire team is expected on the scene Wednesday at 2 p.m. to begin their probe into the fatalities and take control of the fire. The firefighters were found in their portable heat-shielding shelters after they could not be reached by radio.

According to an Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forests press release, 21 firefighters and two civilians were entrapped in a narrow canyon of the Chewuch River Valley. Shelters were deployed in an area surrounded by fire on all sides. The four dead are Karen L. Fitzpatrick, 18, Yakima; Devin A. Weaver, 21, Yakima; Jessica L. Johnson, 19, Yakima; and squad leader Tom L. Craven, 30, Ellensburg.

The injured included Jason W. Emhoff, 21, Yakima, who was transported to Harborview Medical Center and is currently listed as serious and stable; Thomas R. Taylor, 31, Leavenworth, to be released from Okanogan-Douglas District Hospital in Brewster this morning; Scott Sherzinger, 24, Selah, treated and released; and Rebecca Welch, 22, Naches, treated and released.

All the dead and injured are from Washington State.

Because of the remoteness of the entrapment site and the need for an investigation, it was not possible to recover the bodies until today.

Currently the Thirty Mile Fire is being monitored while a strategy is being developed for its suppression. The exact size will not be known until mapping is completed. The new incident management team will determine numbers of firefighters and types of equipment needed to suppress the fire.

Meanwhile firefighters continued to build a fireline on the 1,200 acre Libby Creek fire about about two miles from Carlton. That blaze, which began late Monday, was reported about 45 percent contained early Wednesday. No homes had been lost, but about 50 families were evacuated Monday evening. They were allowed back into their homes the next day. Updates on the fire situation are available at www.thirtymilefire.com :

July 11, 2001

Wildfire leads to evacuation of Libby Creek

By Sue Davie

A prediction of high temperatures, low humidity and gusty winds was keeping crews busy Tuesday morning (July 10) after fire ravaged approximately 1,200 acres on state and Forest Service land near Carlton.

The fire was first reported at 2:17 p.m. Monday afternoon, spreading quickly through the Gold Ridge and Little Hornet Ridge areas between Libby Creek and Gold Creek.

The National Interagency Fire Center reported the fire as "human-caused," although fire information officer (and DNR propriety manager) Nick Mickel, speaking from the staging area at Liberty Bell High School, said the cause of the fire was still under investigation as of Tuesday morning.

One landowner near the fire reported speaking to an employee of the Department of Natural Resources who said he abandoned his truck in the fire. The man reportedly said the fire started someplace behind him and he escaped on foot over the hill toward Libby Creek.

But Mickel reported "all the vehicles are accounted for, none are reported missing, none have been burned."

And despite reports to the contrary, there were no official reports of explosions or items falling from the sky just prior to the fire, according to Mickel and the Okanogan County Sheriff’s Department.

As of Tuesday afternoon the fire was 15 percent contained. "We’ll be here many days," said Mickel. "By late last night after midnight we had 90 firefighters on the line working the back end of the fire, trying to build trail around it." To help with the fire-retardant spray effort, five fixed-wing aircraft return bombers arrived from Canada, two from Oregon, and four from within the state. An additional 400 personnel joined the firefight Tuesday, bringing the total number of local, state, federal and private-sector firefighters to 550.

A mandatory evacuation of Libby Creek spurred residents into action Monday evening, some packing up valuables and mementos, others trenching out fire lines and staying put. Those who stayed were treated to a spectacular display of planes and helicopters spraying fire retardant on the burning hill above their homes.

"It's very flashy," said Libby Creek resident Joyce Campbell, who was packing guitars but going nowhere.

The Methow Valley Community Center gym and Senior Center have been designated as Red Cross shelters for any evacuees needing a place to stay. According to the Community Center’s manager Vicki Wilson, there were no takers.

Residents were allowed to return home Tuesday night.

About 50 homes were threatened by the flames, the closest of which came to about a half mile from one structure, according to Mickel.

Current information on the fire, called the Libby South Fire, can be accessed via the Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forests Fire Information at http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/wenatchee/fire/okawen2001.html.

A second fire, covering about five acres, was reported Monday night near Sheep Creek, about 28 miles up the Chewuch River.

July 11, 2001

Publisher's Comment by Lee Hicks

A tragedy with a senseless cause

If there is anything that could make last week’s firefighting tragedy more tragic, it is the knowledge of how the Thirtymile blaze began.

It sounds so innocuous and impersonal to report that an "unattended campfire" probably caused the massive conflagration, although the investigation is not complete.

But it would be more appropriate to say the stupidity, carelessness and criminal behavior of someone likely resulted in the death of four young people, two not yet out of their teens.

No one could have envied Wenatchee Okanagon Forest Service supervisor Sonny O’Neal as he prepared to leave Twisp last week to meet with families of the victims—or the Forest Service officials who only a few hours earlier had the task of breaking the news.

As O’Neal put it:

"What I will do to the best of my ability is to express sorrow, explain what happened and provide support."

But how do you tell a family member that their loved one died—in heat so intense that breathing may have become impossible. Or that somewhere — perhaps within the very community which the firefighters were serving—walks someone guilty of taking the lives of their son, daughter, father or husband.

It’s almost ludicrous to even think of building a campfire under the parched conditions of the forest this summer—much less leave it to burn, or re-ignite.

Thus far this year the Methow basin and eastern Washington have escaped expected wildfires often caused by lightning. That just makes it all the more disheartening that this tragedy had to occur as the result of human negligence.

When you see someone with a fire team around the Valley, stop to thank him or her for the big risks they take. We’ve been sadly reminded that their efforts can result in the ultimate loss.

When you encounter anyone illegally or unwisely starting a fire in timbered areas don’t hesitate to report it immediately. If you have any information that would be useful to investigators, call 509-996-4995.

It could be that the person or persons who caused the Chewuch fire may be somewhere else by now. Or they could be living in our community. Because of the widespread local, regional and national media coverage, by now they are aware of the tragedy they could have created.

Now would be the time to show their courage in stepping forward to take responsibility. This could give some closure to the families of those who died, aid the investigation and establish an example for others to be more careful in the backcountry.

The people of the Methow Valley, and any area prone to wildfires, express sorrow and gratitude to the families of the victims and the sacrifices of those so close to them.

July 18, 2001

Final fatal fire report expected in August

Initial conclusions discount importance of weather and inexperience

By Lee Hicks

The federal team investigating what happened as four firefighters persished in a "blowup" of the Thirtymile fire believes that weather and inexperience were not major factors in the tragedy.

In a Monday (July 16) press conference at the Eightmile Ranch firefighting camp, federal officials released a "72-hour report" from deputy Forest Service chief Jim Furnish to agency chief Dale Bosworth.

The report does not directly address the questions officials have been fielding as to whether more experienced firefighters could have survived the blaze that reached catastrophic proportions the late afternoon of Tuesday (July 11).

But Furnish said at the Eightmile press conference that inexperience was not considered a major factor.

There of the four who died were in the first summer on the job and two were not yet out of their teens.

A separate five-person team of special agents has quickly concluded that the blaze began from an "unattended campfire." (See related story of that investigation on this page).

In just 2 1/2 hours late afternoon July 10, what had begun early in the day as a mopping up operation for a small fire about 22 miles north of Winthrop erupted into a blaze of about 2,500 acres.

The Forest Service said the fires originated in Section 14, Township 38 north, Range 22 east, three miles north of the North Twenty Mile Lookout. The Chewuch River cuts across the northwest tip of that section.

Smoke was first reported about 9:30 p.m. Monday (July 9) by a Canadian tanker pilot returning to his Penticton, B.C. field after dropping retardant on the South Libby Creek blaze. A "hot shot" crew of highly trained firefighters arrived early the next day, followed by the 21-member crew that included those who died.

By early afternoon the fire had spread to more than 200 acres, as conditions became volatile. Some time after 4 p.m., the fire exploded, sending a plume of smoke to 30,000 feet in what is known as a blowout among firefighters.

Fire officials believe that the fire, burning in terrain sucked dry by this year’s drought, had been held in check by a layer of cool air that collapsed with temperatures rising above 100 degrees in single-digit relative humidity.

It was a recipe for a dreaded perfect fire that creates its own weather.

In the report released Monday the deputy Forest Service chief Furnish said that 14 fire heat-shielding emergency fire shelters were deployed, including the one shared with the two campers.

The Forest Service said that a three-person pumper truck had headed south from the fire to get more water before the fatal incident.

Of the 21 crew members that remained, seven were in an area not threatened with being overrun by the blaze. But the 14 others headed north, some in a crew truck, to get away from the approaching fire.

Realizing they could not beat the blaze in the narrow canyon, they stopped and deployed heat-shielding shelters.

The Forest Service believes that all 14 of the crew had adequate time to set up shelters and picked appropriate locations.

The shelters, constructed of aluminum foil on the outside with fiberglass inside, are designed to withstand nearly 500 degree external temperatures before delaminating. Inside, human survival is stretched to the limit as temperatures, if only briefly, reach 190 degrees.

The shelters are said to reflect as much as 95 percent of radiant heat, although they are less effective in intense, wind-driven blazes.

Furnish's 72-hour report says:

"Four individuals deployed shelters about 100 feet upslope of the road. One person deployed an unknown distance upslope from these four. The remaining people, including the civilians, deployed on the road."

But "some of the individuals relocated to the river," the report said.

In his brief two-page report, Furnish noted that, the "initial assignment (of the 21 member crew) was reinforcement for the purpose of completing containment lines and mop-up."

But the fire "transitioned to active fire behavior during the early afternoon." After being trapped the crew "took a position on a suitable deployment site."

Neither radio communication nor a "significant weather event" were contributing factors in the crew becoming trapped, according to Furnish’s report.

Weather was not a factor in the fire’s quick and deadly change, he said. Instead, months of drought after two dry years created a wealth of dry fuel that enabled the fire to create its own winds, Furnish said Monday.

At an earlier press conference the morning after the fatalities, Forest Service district fire manager Peter Soderquist said that, "basically a blowup situation is where you’ve got rising temperatures, lowering relative humidity that a fire will go from relatively quiet and seemingly under control to totally out of control."

Soderquist described conditions early Tuesday as, "somewhat quiet," as a crew worked on a smoldering ground fire.

Fire managers had posted lookouts and were relying on aerial observation, but, "the conditions just progressed so quickly that I believe that they were caught unaware," Soderquist said.

"It was at a time when our air attack group supervisor was instructing the folks on the ground that we were starting to experience a very radical fire behavior...changes in wind direction, a buildup of the general fire and smoke column itself," Soderquist said.

In a blowup, a fire begins to crown and the resulting smoke and wind, "is extraordinary to what we would typically have ground hand troops in close proximity to," Soderquist said.

Although heat inside the portable fire shelters can be excruciating, "No matter how bad it is inside the shelter, it’s ten times worse outside..once you deploy you stay put," Soderquist explained.

The Forest Service said Monday that the four who died were joined by two others, Jason Emhoff and Tom Taylor, in the area above the road. That information differs from Furnish’s earlier report of July 14 that said five firefighters set their tents up the slope.

After the firestorm passed, Emhoff, 21, of Yakima and Taylor, 31, of Chatteroy, at some point abandoned their shelters, with Taylor heading for the river and Emhoff making his way to the truck.

Emhoff was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center and underwent surgery Monday (July 16) for severely burned hands. Early reports said he would not lose his hands as had been feared.

Those who died were Tom Craven, 30, Ellensburg, the crew boss; Karen Fitzpatrick, 18; Devin Weaver, 21, and Jessica Johnson, 19, all of Yakima. They were all from the Forest Service’s Naches district.

An autopsy report by Chelan County coroner Dr. Gina M. Fino concluded that the victims died of, "asphyxia due to inhalation of superheated products of combustion." The Forest Service report says death resulted from inhaling "superheated air."

Craven was the crew leader, with 12 years experience. He leaves behind a wife and two children, seven and four years old. Weaver, Johnson and Fitzpatrick were all in their first summer of fighting wildfires. Johnson had worked with a volunteer fire department in the Yakima area since 1998.

Besides Emhoff and Taylor the other injured firefighters were: Scott Sherzinger, 24, Selah, and Rebecca Welch, 22, Naches, treated and released at the Winthrop clinic. Taylor is based at Leavenworth district and all others are from the Naches district.

A Forest Service spokesman for the incident investigation, Ron DeHart, told the News that the crew members were interviewed for several days, some more than once, before leaving the valley for their homes last Friday. He told about 90 people at a Friday night meeting at the Winthrop Barn that investigators aimed to find out what happened and why, not "to fix blame."

DeHart told the News Saturday that an interview with Emhoff was "of critical importance" to the investigation, although the firefighter was too sedated at that time, he explained.

"Jason did what he was trained to do, and that was to get back to the truck," said Emhoff’s father in a Seattle television interview.

DeHart also responded to some early media reports that questioned whether a relatively inexperienced team should have been assigned to the fire.

The Forest Service standards require 40 hours of training for a "type 2" crew. Proper supervision is the key to the operation, DeHart said.

"When a crew deploys to any kind of attack...supervisors—and one of them died—have a responsibility to make sure the crew have all the equipment.

"They were properly equipped with the supervision required of a 20-person team," DeHart said.

While standards for a "type 1," crew limit the number of inexperienced firefighters to a crew, there is, "no such similar requirement for type 2...this was not a type 1 team."

A final, comprehensive report of the investigation is expected in August.

The 72-hour report by Furnish said a fire service truck had "minor damage" in the blaze, but was "drivable." A truck owned by the campers, Bruce Hagemeyer and his wife, Paula, of Thorp, was destroyed.

The Hagemeyers found refuge in a heat-shielding tent with firefighter Rebecca Welch. Furnish has called Welch’s actions, "an unbelievable action of heroism..." He said there was "no doubt in my mind" that the Hagemeyers owed their lives to Welch.

July 18, 2001

Thirtymile blaze fight moves to Pasayten

South Libby Creek fire nearly contained

by Sue Davie and Lee Hicks

While federal probes of the Thirtymile fire continued, fire managers revised their strategy to fight the blaze with more than 900 firefighters as it moved into the Pasayten Wilderness after burning nearly 10,000 acres.

Meanwhile, reports early Tuesday (July 17) said the South Libby Creek blaze was 100 percent contained after scorching almost 4,000 acres about 2 miles south of Carlton.

Managers of the "type 1" crews of highly trained interagency firefighters said early Tuesday that a soaking rain that began midday Monday offered an "opportunity to rest and prepare for the remaining effort on this fire." Rain and cooler weather were holding the fire down and clouds made air support difficult, officials said.

The blaze was reported 35 percent contained after costing about $1.5 million.

Managers at the fire command center at Eightmile Ranch up the Chewuch basin have decided to put increased emphasis on impeding the blaze’s movement into the Pasayten Wilderness.

That decision could create a dialogue with some "let burn" environmental groups who believe fire improves the ecology of forests. But fire officials say the Thirtymile blaze could re-ignite later in the summer if not put down, perhaps sweeping across the rugged country and into Canada.

The Thirtymile crews will follow "minimum suppression" techniques aimed to cause limited impact from firefighting methods.

Joe Stutler, the Thirtymile fire manager from Bend, Ore., told about 90 people Friday at the Winthrop Barn that firefighters are aware of their impact in remote country.

He called the area of the Chewuch basin bordering the Pasayten, "beautiful country, big country and unforgiving of error. The largest potential for fire growth is in the wilderness and to the north," (toward British Columbia), Stutler said.

Although there is no limit to equipment that could be assigned, Stutler said firefighters strive for minimal damage in wilderness areas.

The Thirtymile fire camp spread over 40 acres and involved firefighters from throughout the West. On Sunday, many firefighters were airlifted from the blaze by helicopter and transported to camp by bus.

There were nine helicopters and 10 fire engines with water, according to information officer George Broyles.

A few of the type 1 team firefighters began departing late Sunday as the strategy shifted to the western flank.

The contained South Libby Creek fire had cost $3.75 million by early Tuesday and officials estimated that could rise to $5.5 million. About $320,000 in timber has been lost.

Full containment is defined as a complete ring around the fire and no growth. Fire control is when there is no chance of escape under existing weather conditions.

At one point, nearly 1,000 firefighters labored on the South Libby blaze, including Forest Service, Department of Natural Resources, and county firemen from the counties of Okanogan, Chelan, Douglas, Stevens and Grant and the City of Seattle. By early Tuesday there were 810 personnel on the fire along with two helicopters and ground equipment.

Several crews worked to provide additional protection for 50 homes and structures that might be affected if the fire spread again because of a shift in weather. No structures had been lost.

Remaining personnel were working on unburned pockets within the perimeter, and mopping up hot spots.

At one time, there were 34 engines, six bulldozers, four helicopters, one air tanker, four medical units, 30 water tenders, and 260 overhead personnel on the Libby Creek fire.

July 18, 2001

Agent hot on trail in deadly fire probe

Hot dog, improvised stick among evidence

by Lee Hicks

By stepping forward to take responsibility, those who caused the fatal Thirtymile fire could be spared a lifetime of tortured conscience and guilt in the view of the man heading the investigation.

Forest Service special agent Ron Pugh told the News in a Saturday (July 14) interview that his team is now certain the massive burn was caused by an abandoned campfire in a poorly constructed firepit.

Pugh heads a team of five special agents who arrived at the suspected origin of the fire soon after four firefighters lost their lives the early evening of July 11.

As sure as he is of the cause, Pugh is nearly as confident investigators will apprehend those who left the fire to burn and created the deadliest woodland blaze in the western United States since 14 died in the 1994 Storm King incident in Colorado.

Pugh has a quarter-century of experience as a wildfire investigator. Based in Bend, Ore., he heads the central Oregon arson wildfire task force.

"I’m optimistic," Pugh told the News. The reasons, he said, are the extensive amount of physical evidence "that is more than we typically get," and, "I think there is so much public interest in this."

Pugh also said that the scene is a "very controlled environment" with no opportunity to destroy or tamper with evidence. The team has accounted for anyone who may have been in the area at the time the fire exploded.

At a Friday evening public meeting at the Winthrop Barn, Pugh said investigators began combing an area of two to three acres last Wednesday. They narrowed the focus to a 10 by 10-foot area, then "got down on our hands and knees with magnifying glasses and magnets."

In the charred area, agents found a stick cut from a nearby bush and parts of two hot dogs. Pugh said there was other significant evidence but declined to reveal it.

The fire could have sputtered since about noon on Saturday (July 8), but Pugh said it is "mostly likely" that it began Sunday evening.

By Tuesday, 21 firefight-ers—including the four who died—were dispatched to the scene.

Already the team has fielded a number of calls to a hotline number, 509-996-4005. Color posters asking for information have also been placed throughout the Methow Valley.

Pugh said he interviewed two campers who were trapped with the firefighters, and had concluded they have "no possible connection" to the cause.

By early Tuesday, fire officials had estimated the Thirtymile fire had cost more than $1 million and was still days or weeks from being extinguished.

Those who caused it could be liable for damages for the cost of firefighting, civil lawsuits from families of the victims, and—most serious—criminal felony charges related to the deaths.

But, even with the onerous consequences of prosecution and the financial implications, Pugh believes that waiting to be apprehended could be even more painful.

"As horrible as it might be, of the person (or persons) to come forth on their own—I can’t make any promises on my own—but the system is much more tolerant for those who come forward on their own and accept responsibility. In my experience the system is much more forgiving.

"They’ve got a better chance of getting some form of normalcy back into their lives."

43 years ago ~ June 26, 1958

Crash, Explosion of Winthrop Smokejumper Aircraft Claims Four

Major tragedy struck the Winthrop smokejumper unit and the Forest Service early this week.

Monday evening the twin-engine Beechcraft cargo plane stationed at Inter-City Airport crashed into a mountainside on Eight-Mile Ridge, exploded, and brought death to all four occupants of the craft.

Perishing in the disaster, first of its kind to ever hit a Forest Service aircraft, were Bob Cavanaugh, pilot, of Medford, Ore.; Bob Carlman, Winthrop, timber sales officer; Jerry Helmer, smokejumper, of Sweet Home, Ore.; and Keith Hendrickson, smokejumper foreman, Winthrop.

At the time of the accident the plane was engaged in making routine drops of food and supplies to firefighters on the ridge.

One drop had been successfully completed and the plane was circling for a second drop when the crash and following explosion occurred.

CAA and Forest Service officials are currently on the scene, but no cause of the crash has as yet been determined, according to Francis Lufkin, foreman at the airport.

Cavanaugh, a retired navy pilot, entered the Forest Service last year but this was his first Methow Valley assignment. He had logged 25 hours in this vicinity prior to the crash.

Carlman, who was aloft to familiarize himself with cargo-drop training techniques, was in his second year of service.

Helmer had been five years with the service, and Hendrickson had served continuously for a four-year hitch with the Air Force.

Thursday, July 19, 2001

Agents on Thirtymile fire want information on three vehicles

Ron Pugh, special agent for the Forest Service heading the probe, stressed the investigating team "is interested in these vehicles as they may be associated with possible witnesses" They are not considered suspects, he said.

Pugh said the vehicles are a dark colored sport utility vehicle "associated" with a campsite near the Thirtymile trailhead, or at that trailhead, between approximately between Monday, July 2 and Monday, July 9.

The second vehicle is described as a small 1975-80 model two-wheel drive pickup with a light colored canopy believed to have entered the Andrews Creek campground the evening of Saturday, July 7.

The third vehicle is a small older model pick-up that was carrying a load of sand or similar material. No location for that vehicle was given.

"The public has been incredible and we have received dozens of calls as a result of our previous requests for help. The identity of the three vehicles or occupants could be very important to our investigation," said Pugh.

Anyone with information about the vehicles, or regarding anyone who might have been in the Chewuch River drainage between Andrews Creek and Thirtymile trailheads from July 7 through 9 are asked to call the investigation team number, 509 996-4005.

July 25, 2001

Fire related: Opinion, letters, stories.

Publisher's Comment ~ by Lee Hicks

Fire coverage: good, respectable and not so good

The challenge of a major breaking story such as the Thirtymile fire brings out the best and worst of media and recent performances were at both ends of that spectrum.

How the News handled the story is a matter for readers to determine. From the point of view of self-criticism, we did reasonably well under the circumstances of a small staff spread thin. Unlike dailies, who could build on successive day’s coverage—correcting and clarifying along the way—we had to find some way to freeze-frame a moving train, so to speak.

Then the job was to summarize the week’s events, finding the right story for our publication day—knowing all along that the news could change just hours after deadline. And we’d have to live with our performance for a week in print, although we updated our online news daily. The interest in the story was enormous, as shown by the fact our web site, usually getting a good 1,200 hits a week, had more than 3,500 visitors after the fire.

As for other coverage, on one end of the quality line was a breathless standup report from Seattle of a KING 5 TV reporter just hours after the deaths were known.

He held out a fire shelter tent package, speculating that the design of the device made it difficult to remove from the pack, and might have contributed to the deaths. No information thus revealed or reported indicates that was the case. Even if it had been, or may be, the basis of that report was on shaky ground so early in the coverage.

But, one of the most compelling stories of the week was an interview by Jesse Hamilton in the Yakima Herald-Republic of firefighter Rebecca Welch, 22, who saved the lives of two campers by taking them into her heat-shielding tent.

It’s the type of reporting that makes you shiver to reflect on what those young people must have thought as they faced life or death from an awesome wall of fire.

Also on the personal side of the coverage is a feature in this week’s News by Katherine Calhoon. She reports on counselor Matt Goodheart’s work with crews after the Thirtymile fatalities.

Well worth reading.

7/25/01

Letters to the Editor

Grateful to firefighters

To the editor:

After a terrifying 25-acre wildfire nearly destroyed everything we owned last year, my husband and I are extremely grateful to all the local volunteer firefighters (and friends and neighbors) who came and saved our home.

Last Tuesday as we watched the cloud of smoke turn into a monstrous, mean plume of smoke that took on the dimensions of Mt. St. Helens exploding or an atomic bomb mushrooming up, we know we’re witnessing a catastrophic event. It deeply saddened us to learn of four young firefighters losing their lives while trying to save our valley from wildfire.

Our hearts go out to the families of each of those brave souls who risked it all to save others. Thank you from my husband and I and I know from everyone in the valley.

Also, thank you to all the firefighters who fought and those continuing to fight the fires that burn all around us. We are grateful beyond words.

Sincerely,

LuAnn and Harry Hansen

Twisp

Firefighters dishonored

Editor:

I am always dismayed and a little saddened when I read the comments of those who would exploit tragedy to promote their own agenda, however ludicrous the reference. The four fine brave young firefighters who lost their lives trying to protect our homes and land are dishonored by such behavior. Our sincere grief over the loss to the families of these fine young men and women should not be compromised in any way.

The careless and irresponsible campers who caused the Thirtymile blaze will live with the shame and fear of knowing for the rest of their lives, whether found out or not. Those who would ignore decency, fact and truth, by trying to relate their own agenda to this tragic loss of life will live with the shame and knowledge that we read their words and will remember.

Larry Rinne

Mazama

PS. I’m temporarily in Libby, Mont. and will be returning to Mazama August 1st.

Roads save lives

Editor,

Logging and forestry roads are more than natural fire lines—they save lives!

An experienced supervisory firefighter’s comment: "Roads serve as a high firefighting lifeline, escape route and often times a fire block. I can’t figure out why anyone wouldn’t want forests to be accessible for people and fire control, unless we wanted them to burn."

Roads are a matter of life and death, for our forests and people who are called on to fight fires!

We hope that you will oppose any measure, such as ordered by the Clinton administration, to close down or prohibit roads in any forest, monument or park.

If these lost young people were your children you would likely agree.

Sincerely,

Joel Douglas

Harbor Lands Co.

Bellingham

We are blessed

Dear Editor,

Once again I am reminded about how fortunate I am to live in a community where folks care about the safety of their neighbors and are willing to give a helping hand.

On early Monday afternoon, July 9th, an explosive burst of flames just south of our property fenceline evolved into the Libby Creek fire causing me to rush to dial the emergency 911 number, and then wait in panic and fear that flames would surely consume our home and barn, and then rush across our fields and up the creek to engulf the homes of our friends and neighbors.

Fortunately, we Libby Creekers did not lose our homes although we all watched and waited hour after hour, day after day as the hillsides surrounding us continued to burn, flame, and smoke in the fierce winds and harsh one hundred degree temperatures.

Heroic firefighters in airplanes and helicopters roared and soared above us while trucks and tankers cruised the roads in valiant efforts to protect our homes and our lives.

During the entire terrifying episode our phone was ringing off the hook with calls from friends and community members offering shovels, "cats," hoes, trucks, and helping hands. We felt so loved. We felt so grateful.

We appreciate, admire, commend, and thank each and every person who risked their lives to save us.

We are so blessed to live within the loving arms of our Methow community.

Kathleen Hirschstein

Carlton

The forests are dense

Dear Editor:

In 1994, I was fortunate to work alongside firefighters who made everyone’s safety their prime concern. My crew was able to pull back to a safe distance when the 10-acre Whiteface fire crept into some timber slash piles and sent a firestorm 30,000 feet high. My heart goes out for four young kids and their families who weren’t so fortunate.

The Thirtymile fire burned on nearly vertical rock cliffs, which are covered on the east side with a thicket of 3-inch poles dating from wildfires that burned around 1930. The 1994 Thunder fire would have consumed this stand, but it was suppressed by hundreds of firefighters, miles of fireline, and millions of dollars. A 1990s blowdown timber sale in the Thirtymile fire area only removed large wood, while leaving deciduous stands of aspen and flashy fuels which burn hot and fast.

A century of wildfire suppression has cost the lives of many and left national forests with unnaturally dense stands beyond the means of conventional fire control or economic benefit.

Nationwide, fires burned 852 structures last year. Yet in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming 36% of acreage burned was non-forested. Although Congress allocated over a billion dollars for fuels reduction in the urban/wildland interface, little of this went to home protection, and much went into salvage sales which will glut local markets and depress timber values.

Thus, communities are taking a new approach to protecting their homes: community-based forestry. The DNR recently signed support for a community and rural initiative that would aid homeowners in establishing a defensible space around their homes. Instead of pointing fingers and hunting witches, energy would be better spent providing opportunity and funding for communities to engage in fire planning where it matters most - near our homes.

George Wooten

Winthrop

Work like a dog

Editor,

I joined the healthy stream of money that flowed into the valley on Wednesday July 11. A call on my message machine said "fire." I was wondering when this call would come. Listening to the scanner from noon Monday on, I watched the natural world unfold. Miscalculation and 15 years of environmental degradation had come to fruition. I went to work on the northeast end of Thirtymile fire. I saw great potential and waste. I saw #1 clear fir interior burning up. I saw hard work that could have been easier. I saw successional forests stagnating and burning. I saw people who cared and some who didn’t.

I didn’t see Mitch Freedman of the Ecosystem Alliance. I didn’t see the myriad personas that represent the environment without knowledge of organic chemistry, molecular biology or advance calculus and physics. I didn’t see taxpayer-funded non-profits who have never paid off a bank loan by reaping nature’s bounty. I didn’t see the economic gain of funding the greenies who have strangled the life of hundreds of small towns across America, some to be pitifully resurrected to sell $3 whiskyless coffees and t-shirts. I didn’t see the Antlers, Rosie’s and Mick’s with $12-an-hour jobs on the chalkboard.

On top of 30-Mile Peak I saw a large white glacial erratic surrounded by black sticks. I didn’t see what I want my world to look like.

Everybody from incident commander to pumper tender all say that the disastrous Clinton forest plan has brought us to this point. But they get orders from above. My sixth fire day response became, "You joined the Forest Service because you like the land and woods; on your deathbed looking back will your job have meaning or will it be just 20 years of paycheck cashing and faddish forest destruction?"

Stand up. Do right and work like a dog.

Patrick J. Fitzgerald

Twisp

Memorial to firefighters

To the editor,

On Monday, July 9th, four firefighters from the USFS perished in a conflagration, north of Winthrop, of astounding proportions. Anyone in town who looked north that afternoon saw a boiling cauldron of hot white smoke rising so high into the stratosphere it looked like a volcanic eruption. Several firefighters were injured, and one firefighter, at enormous risk to herself, took two campers under her own shelter and saved their lives.

Tom Craven, Jessica Johnson, Devin Weaver, and Karen Fitzpatrick ranged in age from 18 to 30 years. They were coming of age in an era when one's worth in society oft seems measured by the accumulation of material goods. They were looking for their purpose in life. Where today does a young person, full of idealism, find a cause worth dedicating oneself to?

I cannot look into the minds of these four, but I believe they knew what they were doing was worthwhile. They all came from a small community, much like our own. A community where even one death touches all. They were sent into the very bowels of hell to protect us. They are true heroes.

We owe an enormous debt of gratitude to all firefighters. These four are not the first to fall and will certainly not be the last. But the story of the Thirtymile fire seems especially poignant and should be marked in some special way, as an expression of our appreciation for all who fight forest fires, especially those who have given their lives.

For we must show the world that this story, so full of tragedy and sorrow, is also a story of idealism and youth, courage and heroism, dedication and hope.

The Town of Winthrop is exploring ways to erect a suitable memorial. Please join in supporting this effort.

Craig Lints

Winthrop

DNR thanks community

To the communities of the Methow Valley:

The Incident Management Team assigned to the Libby South Fire wish to express our appreciation to the residents and businesses of the Methow Valley.

Any incident of this magnitude puts a tremendous strain on everyone affected by both the fire itself and the suppression actions. Without your patience and cooperation, we would not have been able to manage this fire as efficiently or as effectively. Everywhere we went, people were friendly and helpful and treated us with respect and gratitude. The requirements of the nearly 1,000 personnel assigned to this fire can quickly tax the inventories of many small businesses. All of the local business owners were extremely supportive in meeting our needs.

Firefighters wish to convey their gratitude for the many signs of support that were posted throughout the area. In many cases, the employees who place themselves at risk to control wildfires never know how much they are appreciated by the communities and individuals whom they are working to protect.

We would like to give special thanks to Superintendent Dr. Louis Gates, the Methow Valley School District, and the school board for allowing us to use the Liberty Bell Junior/Senior High School as the fire base camp. Base camp plays a critical role in the success of any fire suppression operation. A warm shower and a quiet place to sleep greatly enhance the ability of the firefighters to work safely and be productive while completing their assigned tasks on the fireline. Your school facilities fulfilled our needs for this function beyond our expectations. Your entire school staff provided logistical support and allowed us to concentrate our efforts on management of the fire. The communities should be proud to have such professional and dedicated public employees.

Finally we would like to thank the local fire districts and all of the local firefighters who provided their equipment and their knowledge of the area to the firefighting effort. Local knowledge is always vital to making sound management decisions.

While it is impossible to acknowledge the contributions of every individual, please be aware that our gratitude extends to each and every one of you. Though we hope that we will never be needed under these circumstances again, we are confident that we can look forward to the same cooperation on future emergencies.

Dick Dunton

Bruce Holloway

Incident Commanders

Washington State Department of Natural Resources

July 25, 2001

Fire Stories

Basin blazes contained at cost of four lives - $10 million

Agents hunt for those who caused deadly Thirtymile blaze

by Lee Hicks

By early Tuesday (July 24) crews had fully contained the 9,300-acre Thirtymile fire in the Chewuch basin that took the lives of four young firefighters, while the 3,400-acre South Libby Creek blaze that at one time threatened homes was being mopped up.

A convoy of firefighters left Twisp early Tuesday on the way to a memorial service at the Yakima Sun Dome to honor their colleagues. As many as 3,000 people were expected to attend, including Gov. Gary Locke and Forest Service chief Dale Bosworth.

The victims, all from the Forest Service’s Naches district, were Tom Craven, 30, Ellensburg; Jessica Johnson, 19, Yakima; Devin Weaver, 21, Yakima; and Karen Fitzpatrick, 18, Yakima. Several other firefighters were injured including Jason Emhoff, 21, of Yakima, who had surgery for his badly burned hands.

Investigators also focused on finding the person or persons who left unattended the campfire they are certain caused the Thirtymile fire.

Only 10 firefighters remained on the South Libby Creek fire Tuesday morning, just a skeleton mop-up crew from the nearly 1,000 personnel assigned to the blaze at its peak. That fire was caused by a mechanical malfunction on a state Department of Natural Resources firefighting vehicle, the agency has said.

Fire officials said Tuesday the Thirtymile fire was completely contained and that a management crew would man the lines and be available for other responses as firefighters attended the Yakima memorial service. A fire is considered contained when a line has been constructed around the entire perimeter and it is not increasing in size. A fire is controlled when there is little or no danger of it re-igniting and escaping the perimeter.

Altogether there are about 250 personnel remaining to mop up both fires. About 50 interagency firefighters remained on the Thirtymile fire line Tuesday.

Fire information officer Pete Davis said Tuesday that the interagency Team 1 crews assigned to Thirtymile would begin leaving the area on Thursday. District crews will then take over the mop-up, which involves maintaining fire lines and taking care of hot spots.

Together the two fires are expected to cost nearly $10 million by the time crews leave the sites, about $5 million for the Libby blaze and $4.75 million for Thirtymile.

Fire officials downsized the estimated acreage charred by the Thirtymile fire after viewing new satellite images. At one time the fire, which exploded July 10, had been reported at more than 10,000 acres. The Thirtymile effort continues to follow the Forest Service’s "MIST" policy, or minimum impact suppression tactics. The policy stresses safety and good judgment under the conditions. But it encourages using natural barriers and sparing trees from sawing or trimming when building fire lines.

Specials agents seeking the cause of the Thirtymile blaze that killed four firefighters July 10 are asking for help in locating owners of three vehicles believed in the vicinity at the time the fire started. Ron Pugh, special agent for the Forest Service heading the probe, stressed the investigating team "is interested in these vehicles as they may be associated with possible witnesses." They are not considered suspects, he said.

Pugh said the vehicles are a dark-colored sport utility vehicle "associated" with a campsite near the Thirtymile trailhead, or at that trailhead, approximately between Monday, July 2 and Monday, July 9. The second vehicle is described as a small 1975-80 model two-wheel-drive pickup with a light-colored canopy believed to have entered the Andrews Creek Campground the evening of Saturday, July 7. The third vehicle is a small older-model pickup that was carrying a load of sand or similar material. No location for that vehicle was given.

Agents said Monday they had talked to about 100 people, including contacts initiated by them and those resulting from calls to a hotline number. They were also studying reports on evidence analyzed by the state crime lab.

Persons with information about the vehicles, or regarding anyone who might have been in the Chewuch River drainage between Andrews Creek and Thirtymile trailheads from July 7 through 9 are asked to call 509-996-4005.

Counselor listens to firefighters on the front line

"Some of the stories brought tears to my eyes."

by Katherine Calhoon

"It’s been tough," sighed Matt Goodheart. "It takes a lot out of you."

As of Saturday (July 21) at 4 p.m., Goodheart had spent 40 hours counseling comrades of the four firefighters lost on the Thirtymile fire.

The call came in as Goodheart, a CDMHP (County-Designated Mental Health Professional) was driving over the Loup summit to his home east of Twisp.

"I didn’t realize there was a fire up the Chewuch, so my first reaction was, ‘Did I know any of the four?’ I thought it might be the locals fighting the Libby South fire.

"I headed right over to the Smokejumper Base, and was the first mental health worker on the scene. The deaths were still unconfirmed when I arrived."

Goodheart was both relieved and very impressed with the Forest Service’s immediate recognition of the need for debriefing and counseling.

"Evidence suggests debriefing is essential, and the Forest Service administrators were very efficient in getting it started. Everyone on the macro-level knew it had to happen, but the difficulty lay on the micro-level (teams).

"One of the biggest hurdles for me among the crews was convincing individuals they need to go through debriefing. It’s a very macho thing to decide to go out and fight forest fires, but not to break down and show emotions or cry. Some were hurting so tremendously or feeling responsible, they couldn’t debrief. If 17 people from a team of 20 show up, I say you have to keep an eye on the other three."

An acute care team from Okanogan County Community Services made up of CDMHPs Danielle Bray, Lisa Marchiney, Paul Pridmore and program manager Vicki Bringman joined Goodheart at the Smokejumper Base. Goodheart and Bray stayed long into the evening counseling members of the crew who lost its four firefighters.

A more formal Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) was conducted the next day by Brian Morgan, of Morgan and Associates, and Larry Higbee, formerly of Aero Methow Rescue. CISD was developed by Jeffrey Mitchell, as a step-by-step process. Goodheart had met with team leaders the night before on an individual basis, but knew they were too emotionally exhausted, as well as physically, after fighting fires all day, to do the formal CISD the night of the deaths. "I did recommend that the crew remain grounded until debriefed," said Goodheart.

The first CISD step is to address the facts: the who, what, where and when, so that everyone has the same information. "Everyone was saying ‘What happened?’ with the question asked in many different ways," said Goodheart. "The more you know what’s going on, the more empowered you feel."

The second step is to talk about the thoughts people are having at the moment.

The third and most difficult step is to share what feelings people are having. "The concept of CISD is to get the facts and people’s thoughts out on the table, which will enable them to talk about their feelings," explained Goodheart. "The purpose is to develop a sense of team, and support among the team players. I heard over and over again ‘If anyone on this team needs someone to talk to, here I am.’"

The fourth step involves "psychoeducation," which Goodheart explained as going over what trauma is and the emotional, behavioral and physical impact it has on people.

"It’s very hard to concentrate on the job at hand if firefighters are still processing recent events. First and foremost, it keeps people focused. The bottom line is, the quicker you debrief, the quicker you can go back to work and focus. The twist is, if you force someone too fast, it can be harmful. Everyone needs to attend the debriefing, but no one needs to be forced to speak. I try to keep an eye on individuals and read the body language, especially the quiet ones. I worry about the ones who don’t want to talk.

"Part of the benefit of getting people together in a group is the normalizing that takes place. It’s beneficial for people to hear that the feelings they are experiencing are shared by their colleagues. It’s pretty courageous, and healing, to say in front of your peers, 'I’m scared to go back out there'."

In the long run, evidence suggests CISD curtails post traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD) symptoms. Goodheart and others from OCCS continued counseling additional crews, including people from the helicopters and look-out towers.

"There were a lot of people that felt guilty and helpless, and a lot who kept playing out the chain of events that they wished they could have somehow interrupted."

Goodheart said he never heard anything that felt to him, as a non-firefighter, as though anyone made any mistakes, technical or otherwise, that led to the tragic deaths.

"There was a lot of second-guessing themselves going on amongst the fire- fighters," Goodheart said. "We tend to take more ownership than we should of circumstances beyond our control.

"Some of the stories told brought tears to my eyes. It wears on you, after listening to 40 or so stories. I was debriefed myself for a couple of hours with the executive director of OCCS, and that made it possible for me to continue being on call. I hope the debriefing I did for others was as helpful as that which I received.

"Many of the firefighters close to the scene said it ‘sounded like a freight train times a million.’ It really was a freak fire that literally came down the hillside at 80 mph., with trees exploding from the sudden intense change in temperature. It caught me off guard that a fire I had never even heard of killed four. That was hard for me.

"I was really impressed with the crew bosses; these people I will probably never see again and I really hope that someone will be checking in with them three months down the road. Are they eating well, sleeping well? In extreme cases of PTSD, people become isolated and sometimes paranoid."

Goodheart said he saw a lot of parallels counseling the firefighters with counseling Vietnam veterans.

"Even a lot of the terminology was the same—being ‘under fire.’ Eighteen and 20-year-olds fighting an enemy you can neither see nor predict. And they are so emotionally young—several people said ‘I didn’t think anyone was going to get hurt.’ That feeling of invulnerability; then the whole world stops with the death of four colleagues."

Goodheart went on to express his gratitude to those he was called to counsel. "Here were all these strangers fighting fires in my back yard. It’s because of me, as a resident of this valley, that they were here. The least I could do is give back some. They were all so young."

Fire Chronology

Monday, July 9:

A small fire about two miles from Carlton up the Libby Creek road is reported in the early afternoon. Fire crews respond from District 6 in the Methow Valley, and are soon joined by state and federal personnel.

Tuesday, July 10:

The Libby Creek fire south of Carlton has grown to 1,500 acres, spreading from private and state land to the national forest. The state Department of Natural Resources and Forest Service crews expand to 400 firefighters.

In the afternoon, attention turns north. What had been a "mopping up" operation 22 miles north of Winthrop in the Chewuch watershed for several small fires, explodes in less than three hours to more than 2,000 acres. Four firefighters perish in the suspected "blowout," four are injured along with two civilians. All personnel are taken off the fire, which sends smoke to more than 30,000 feet.

Wednesday, July 11:

The Forest Service holds a morning press conference in Twisp with local, regional and national media. Forest supervisor Sonny O’Neal calls the deaths an "indescribable tragedy," and leaves to meet with familes of the downed firefighters, most from the Yakima area.

By afternoon a "type 1" fire management team arrives at the North Cascades Smokejumper Base to take control of the Chewuch blaze, which approaches 8,000 acres. Fire officials, however, are cautious, given the intensity and growth of the blaze. More than 700 firefighters are expected to head for the site.

Meanwhile the South Libby Creek Fire is reported to be about 30 percent contained. The fire is in steep terrain with fuel potential to spread as much as 450 feet minute in sage and grass, and up to 25 feet per minute in timber. There are 600 firefighters on the line, representing the state Department of Natural Resources, Forest Service and Okanogan, Chelan, Douglas, Grant and Spokane Counties.

Governor Gary Locke makes a brief visit in a state helicopter to the Libby Creek fire headquarters at Liberty Bell High School.

Thursday, July 12:

Addressing a press conference, deputy Forest Service chief Jim Furnish praises "an unbelievable act of heroism" by firefighter Rebecca Welch. The 22-year-old novice firefighter shared her heat-shielding tent with two trapped campers. Furnish’s team was interviewing those trapped in the fire and preparing to visit the site Thursday afternoon.

State DNR officials acknowledge that one of the agency’s trucks started the South Libby Creek fire as the result of an engine malfunction that was not detected until personnel had to call for help Monday afternoon.

Pool reporters visit the Thirtymile site with national fire investigators. Firefighting crews are returned to the blaze after being withdrawn because of the fatalaties late Tuesday.

Friday, July 13:

A vigorous series of thunder and electrical storms ignites nearly 30 fires around the Methow and north central Washiongton. Small fires burn up Twisp River Road and in the Cub Creek area, but are managed.

A public meeting for agencies to explain the fire situation is held at the Winthrop Barn. A special agent says he is confident the Thirtymile fatal fire began with a poorly constructed, "unattended campfire." A hotline, 509-996-4005, is established to take calls with information.

The team investigating what happened at the point of the Thirtymile fatalities and injuries completes interviews of 14 firefighters who were trapped in the blaze, along with two campers.

More than two dozen hikers, including some boy scouts, are accounted for by search and rescue efforts, including assistance from Okanoogan County Sheriff’s deputies. Some are forced to hike away from the Thirtynmile fire line. A couple with their dog is airlifted by helicopter.

The Libby Creek fire, reported to be 50 percent contained, grows to 3,800 acres by early Friday, while the Thirtymile blaze exceeds 9000 acres.

Saturday, July 14:

The weather cools, although winds remain strong. More progress is made on the Libby Creek fire. On the Thirtymile fire there are now more than 900 firefighters based in a 40-acre camp at Eightmile ranch.

Sunday, July 15:

The strategy for the Thirtymile fire changes as it is blunted by the 1994 Thunder Mountain burn to the east and nearly contained with a line to the south. The focus turns to the west and north into the Pasayten Wilderness. The Libby Creek fire, now with more than 900 personnel, is reported to be 95 percent contained. "Control" is predicted by late in the day July 19.

Monday, July 16:

A coastal system brings much cooler temperatures and even a steady rain, with little thunder or lightning, to the Methow basin.

A number of county and district firefighters mobilized by the state are released by the state fire marshal’s office from the Libby Creek fire. Locals are singing the James Taylor tune, "I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain...."

Federal investigators release a preliminary report on what happened at the time firefighters were trapped in the fatal Thirtymile fire. The report says 14 heat-shielding shelters were deployed, including four by the firefighters who perished.

Thirtymile fire now at 10,000 acres.

Tuesday, July 17:

With a soaking rain that begain Monday and lasted into early Tuesday, managers of the Thirtymile fire decide to give crews a break with a day in camp before deploying again to fight the blaze on the Pasayten flank. The fire is estimated at 35 percent contained and the size holds at around 10,000 acres.

The two fire investigations continue, one into the circumstances that led to the deaths of four firefighters and another for those who caused the blaze by leaving a campfire unattended.

Libby South fire managers announce that blaze is fully contained and is expected to be controlled by later Thursday. By that time the fire, which at one time threatened about 50 homes and structures, could have cost as much as $5.5 million, fire officials say.

Wednesday, July 18:

Crews returned to the Thirtymile fire today after staying in camp Tuesday as weather kept the 10,000 acre blaze in check but made access and air support more difficult. Altogether, 11 crews totaling 250 firefighters plus managers were dispatched to the west flank of the fire as it burned west into the Pasayten Wilderness. Specially trained advisors are with the crews to insure "minimal incident suppression techniques" (MIST), mandating a "light hand" in wilderness firefighting. The containment line on the east side of the burn has already been established. The fire has been about 35 percent contained since the "type 1" highly trained crews arrived July 12.

The South Libby Creek fire that at one time threatened 50 homes has been 100 percent contained after consuming 3,830 acres. On Friday, the interagency management team will assume responsibility for the mopping up of the Libby Burn as well as the Thirtymile fire.

A memorial service for the four firefighters who list their lives as the Thirtymile blaze exploed will be held Tuesday, July 24, 2001 at 2 p. m. at the Sun Dome in Yakima.

Thursday, July 19 - 8:00 a.m.:

Fire officials report 30milefire is 65% contained, with 10,375 acres involved. South and east sides of the fire are being patrolled by air using Infrared Technology to identify any hot spots. Earlier flights identified very few hot spots and smokes. Fireline rehabilitation continues. Along north and west sides ground crews continue to search area 300 feet inside the fireline for hot spots and will extinguish. Fireline rehabilitation is proceeding in many areas. Fire behavior activity and the chance for fire spread should be very low today.

Friday, July 20, 9:30 a.m.:

As of 6:00 p.m. 7/19/01 PNW-Team 3 assumed responsibility for both the Thirtymile and Libby South fires. Today the south and east sides of the Thirtymile fire will continue being patrolled by air using Infrared Technology to identify any hot spots. Yesterday's flights identified very few hot spots and smokes. Fireline rehabilitation is continuing. Along north and west sides ground crews continue to search area 300 feet inside the fireline for hot spots and will extinguish. Operations out of Andrews Spike camp will be discontinued. Libby South crews continue to mop up and patrol 300 feet inside the fire perimeter. Fireline rehabilitation is continuing. Fire behavior activity for both the Thirtymile and Libby South fires should be very low today.

Monday, July 23,12:00 p.m. - Fire Update:Thirtymile: Crews are continuing to monitor containment lines using Infrared technology. Fire crews and air support is available as needed for suppression efforts.Libby South: Crews continue to complete fireline rehabilitation. 12:30 p.m. - To provide coverage of the Methow and Tonasket Ranger Districts during the memorial services at the Sun Dome in Yakima, PNW-Team 3 will provide Initial Attack fire response coverage from 6:00 p.m. today, July 23, 2001 to 6:00 a.m. Wednesday, July 25, 2001.

Tuesday, July 24 - Libby South and Thirtymile fires are 100% contained. This chronology will not be updated further.

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