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Collection of Historical Photographs, Battlement Creek Fire

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Hand written note from Shirley & Chuck, 1976 - Hutch Mountain Lookout.

Hand written note from Shirley & Chuck, 1976 - Hutch Mountain Lookout.

Photo of smoke and flames on Battlement Creek from a distance.

Photo of smoke and flames on Battlement Creek.

 
Photo of smoke and flames on Battlement Creek from a distance as the fire dramatically gained momentum.

Photo of smoke and flames on Battlement Creek as the fire dramatically gained momentum.

Photo of smoke and flames on Battlement Creek as the fire engulfed the top of the mountain.

Photo of smoke and flames on Battlement Creek as the fire engulfed the top of the mountain.

 
Memorial plaque dedicated July 25, 1981 to the five firefighters who lost their lives.

Memorial plaque dedicated July 25, 1981 to the five firefighters who lost their lives.

Memorial site with a kiosk displaying a map and the history of the Battlement Creek Fire.

The memorial site with a kiosk displaying a map and the history of the Battlement Creek Fire.

 
Group photo of the Mormon Lake Hot Shot Crew, 1976.

Group photo of the Mormon Lake Hot Shot Crew, 1976.

Oblique aerial photograph of Battlement Creek fire area, July 19, 1976 showing locations of fire orgin, the burn area, crew accident, B-26 crash, heliport base, fire camp, and project Rulison .

Oblique aerial photograph of Battlement Creek fire area, July 19, 1976, showing locations of fire origin, the burn area, crew accident, B-26 crash, heliport base, fire camp, and project Rulison .

 
Photo showing the dense Gamble's oak leaves that were still on the trees at the time of the fire.

Dense Gamble's oak leaves that were still on the trees at the time of the fire.

Aerial photo of the convection column centered on the ridge between the north and south draws and positioned about half way between the road and the ridgeline where the Mormon Lake crew was working.

Aerial photo of the convection column centered on the ridge near Mormon Lake crew.

 
Photo of Battlement Creek fire from top of rocky bluff looking north. Mormon Lake crew member John Meyers photographed the fire running towards the lower helispot at about 1430 on Saturday, July 17. This is the fire run that stopped the burnout squad from joining the line improvement squad in the safety zone beyond the flames.

Photo of Battlement Creek fire from the rocky bluff looking north.

 

NWCG Latest Announcements

ETC Bulletin 25-001: Retrofitted Hot/Cold Beverage Kits - 2025 Field Season

Date: April 16, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
Equipment Technology Committee

Due to spout failures and the associated risk of burn injuries, manufacturers have retrofitted the Hot/Cold Beverage Kits using a heat-shrinking band to secure the black spout at the insertion site. The updated kits feature a fluorescent label on each full kit assembly for easy identification. Catering units are encouraged to confirm the clear heat-shrinking bands are intact around each spout before filling.

ETC Bulletin 24-001 regarding Hot/Cold Beverage Kits has been archived and replaced by ETC Bulletin 25-001 for the 2025 season.

References:

NWCG Alerts

ETC-EB-25-001 Retrofitted Hot/Cold Beverage Kits

NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Chainsaw Operations, PMS 212, and Next Generation Position Task Book for Basic Faller Are Now Available

Date: April 14, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
Hazard Tree and Tree Felling Subcommittee

The updated NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Chainsaw Operations, PMS 212, and NWCG Position Task Book for Basic Faller (FAL3), PMS 311-19 are now available.

The NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Chainsaw Operations, PMS 212 includes position standards designed to be used in conjunction with the Next Generation Position Task Book (Next Gen PTB). The Next Gen PTB for Basic Faller (FAL3) includes an evaluation guide with suggested rating elements to consider when assessing trainees.

References:

NWCG Standards For Wildland Fire Chainsaw Operations, PMS 212

NWCG Position Task Book for Basic Faller (FAL3), PMS 311-119

NWCG Basic Faller (FAL3)

RMC Memo 25-01: Summary of Updates to Safety Officer Positions

Date: April 9, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
RMC Member Eric Fransted

The Risk Management Committee (RMC) serves as the position steward for all Safety Officer incident positions and continues to improve position standards, training, and naming conventions. The implementation of Complex Incident Management (CIM) required changes to position titles. RMC collaborated with the NWCG Incident Position Standards Committee (IPSC) to propose and implement these updates. 

References:

RMC Memo 25-01: Summary of Updates to Safety Officer Positions 

NWCG Position Catalog

Updated, NWCG Guide to Wildland Fire Origin and Cause Determination, PMS 412

Date: April 8, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
Wildland Fire Investigation Subcommittee

PMS 412 provides guidance for wildland fire investigations. This guide outlines recommended procedures, practices, techniques, and methods to promote a systematic approach. The last update to this publication was in 2016.

References:

NWCG Guide to Wildland Fire Origin and Cause Determination PMS 412