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2023 WOR: Point Fire (Idaho) – July 28, 1995

 Day 1  |  Day 2  |  Day 3  |  Day 4  |  Day 5  |  Day 6  |  Day 7

 

Point Fire (Idaho) – July 28, 1995

Today’s topic is dedicated to all fallen firefighters.
May we never stop learning.

 

On July 28, 1995, at 6:29 p.m., a fire was reported approximately 16 miles southwest of Boise. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Kuna Rural Fire District (RFD) resources were dispatched to the fire. As they arrived on scene, the fire was 60 to 65 acres, actively burning in brush and grass with moderate rates of spread. The BLM Incident Commander (IC) instructed the BLM engines to split up and directly attack the flanks with Kuna RFD engines 620 and 622 behind them. The fire spread had been stopped at 120 acres.

 

At 8:22 p.m., the National Weather Service issued a Red Flag warning predicting gusts of up to 50 mph from a thunderstorm.

Kuna 620 and 622 mopped up along the north flank until 622 ran out of water. While Kuna 622 was en route to refill, Kuna 620 contacted them with a report that their vehicle was overheating. Kuna 620 turned north on a two-track road, driving cross-country through unburned heavy sagebrush. At this point, Kuna 620 became disabled.

At about 8:46 p.m., the fire escaped the northern flank due to strong southerly outflow winds. Several fire personnel immediately drove north to assess fire behavior. They see a stationary engine in the path of the oncoming flame front. They did not know whether the engine was occupied.

Never Forgotten

  • Bill Buttram (31)
  • Josh Oliver (18)

At, 8:49 p.m., Kuna 620 contacted the Kuna Commander on a local non-federal frequency and reported, “We are on the north line. We have fire coming hard, and this thing has died.” The Kuna 620 engine crew made another radio transmission one minute later, “The truck’s been overtaken by fire!” That was their last transmission. It took four minutes from the point of escape for the fire to overrun the disabled engine.

How do we as a fire community remember and honor those that were lost.
Understanding how federal, state, and local resources come together on a single piece of ground to accomplish a common goal will continue to make the response to wildfire, prescribed fire, and all-hazard incidents better.

How do you maintain, improve, or promote relations on your unit?
The focus on our quality of engines and support vehicles throughout the fire service is constantly improving. The improvements made in standardizing the Preventative Maintenance checks and creating a culture of reporting equipment issues nationally have helped tremendously.

What are ways you ensure your equipment is in serviceable condition?
In the Swiss Cheese model, the holes in the slices represent weaknesses in individual parts of the system and are continually varying in size and position across the slices. The system produces failures when a hole in each slice momentarily aligns, so that a hazard passes through holes in all the slices, leading to a failure. In the case of the Point Fire there wasn’t a singular event that led to this tragedy. Recognition of all the different variables is key in learning.

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2025/2026 Leadership Campaign Quarter 2 Now Available!

Date: February 13, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Leadership Committee

NWCG is excited to announce that the Quarter Two materials for the 2025/2026 Wildland Fire Leadership Campaign are now available! This annual initiative invites all leadership and wildland fire management students to engage with essential skills and knowledge needed to lead effectively in dynamic environments.

This quarter focuses on Leadership Level 2: New Leader (Conveying Intent). Conveying intent is a crucial leadership competency in the high-risk, dynamic environment of wildland firefighting. Months 4 - 6 will concentrate on how successfully conveying intent enhances situational awareness, promotes shared understanding, and empowers firefighters to exercise initiative and adapt to changing conditions.

References:

2025/2026 NWCG Leadership Campaign - Leadership Levels

Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program

Leadership Committee

Opportunity to Serve the Wildland Fire Community as an IPTM SME!

Date: February 10, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: NWCG SME Specialist

NWCG is seeking experienced wildland firefighters and support personnel to serve as Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) for the Incident Performance and Training Modernization (IPTM) initiative. The intent of IPTM is to transition NWCG’s training and qualification system to a performance-based model through updated position descriptions, Incident Position Standards, Next Generation Position Task Books (Next Gen PTBs), and updates to training where needed.

NWCG is currently recruiting SMEs for the following positions:

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Projects begin April/May 2026 and require 15–20 hours per month for 6–8 months, including a five-day workshop in Boise, Idaho this May. Apply by February 27, 2026, at the link below and review the attached document for details.

References:

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NEW! M-280, Resource Advisor, Fireline (Instructor-Led) Course Available Now

Date: January 29, 2026
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Please contact: Resource Advisor Subcommittee

NWCG is pleased to announce the new M-280, Resource Advisor, Fireline (Instructor-Led) course is now available. This training supports individuals working towards Resource Advisor, Fireline (REAF) incident qualifications.

M-280, Resource Advisor, Fireline (Instructor-Led) training prepares students to serve as a Resource Advisor, Fireline (REAF) as defined in NWCG Incident Position Standards for Resource Advisor, Fireline, PMS 350-112. This course presents scenarios that reflect the diverse challenges a REAF may encounter during an incident. Through these scenarios, participants gain hands-on experience and an understanding of REAF responsibilities in a controlled learning environment.

References:

Resource Advisor, Fireline Position Page

NWCG Position Standards for Resource Advisor, Fireline, PMS 350-112

M-280, Resource Advisor, Fireline (Instructor-Led)

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2026 Updates to the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1

Date: January 23, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Incident and Position Standards Committee

The Incident and Position Standards Committee has updated the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1.

These updates address changes to incident position names and requirements for qualification, training, and experience. Updates related to the implementation of Complex Incident Management (CIM) and Incident Performance Training Modernization (IPTM) are also included.

The NWCG Wildland Fire Position Qualification Flowchart, PMS 308 has also been updated to reflect the recent changes.

References:

NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1

NWCG Wildland Fire Position Qualification Flowchart, PMS 308

IPSC Memo 26-01: January 2026 Updates to the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Positions Qualifications, PMS 310-1