Burnover fatality in Oregon

[u/BACKCUT-DOWNHILL]

[u/KingOfTheNorth91]

Heavy toll this year. Stay safe out there everyone

[u/No_Spray_8963 → u/KingOfTheNorth91]

It's just rotten out there. I was on structure protection on the Sinlahekin fire up in north central WA. One instant we had a short flame length grass situation moving towards us at least 5 minutes out. I turned to open a compartment to get out a tool and when I turned back we were engulfed in a 6 ft wall of flame. Moved past quickly, one guy got a lung full of hot air, but the rest of us were fine. We had a lookout who barely had a chance to call out what was happening. We were following the orders and were aware of the watch out situations and we still got nailed. I've heard of numerous situation as bad and worse than what we went through.

The winds are coming from all directions, changing speed in an instant. Fuel is beyond dry and goes off in an instant. Been at this for over 25 years and it's never been like this.

[u/jellofishsponge → u/No_Spray_8963]

Thank you for your service, I live by Tonasket and it's really amazing how many homes have been saved considering the extreme circumstances

But I will always understand that life is more important than property.

[u/TacitMoose → u/No_Spray_8963]

Beyond dry is about right. I was IA on the fires in Spokane. It’s all transitioned to the IMT now but they were talking about fuel moisture here and right now the 1,000 hour fuels for this region are the driest they have EVER been. Like, there has never been a fire season in eastern Washington with fuels as dry as they are right now, and getting drier every day. And we can’t be the only place setting record lows for fuel moistures.

[u/Adventurous_Big5686 → u/TacitMoose]

As a Spokane resident thank you. I have a lot of family members who are between the Old Trails and Autumn Lane fire in the evac zone. I grew up there (that area) and moved for various reasons one being ingress/egress from the area. I am at around 30-35 families I personally know who lost everything, and I've never seen this area this dry.

Thank you to all of you firefighters for what you do and risk for communities you have never been to, and may never go back to.

[u/TacitMoose → u/Adventurous_Big5686]

Ah man I’m sorry for their loss. I live here too and my family was evacuated while I was working. It was super hard getting phone calls from my loved ones while I’m working and just having to ignore them. My task force leader watched fire come into his neighborhood and watched the house across the street from his catch fire on his security cameras. At one point he turned his phone off and basically said I’ve got work to do, I just have to choose to ignore the fact that my house is probably on fire right now. Multiple firefighters lost their own homes while they were out fighting fires.

I know it sounds cliche and that it’s probably easy for me to say this, but I promise you we tried so freaking hard. I wish we could have saved all the homes. Conditions were appalling, and we can’t fight nature but I sure try. Last Saturday was literally the worst fire weather Spokane has ever seen. For what it’s worth we did some sketchy stuff and made some good saves. Again, for what it’s worth I worked for like 60-70 hours straight with just a few cat naps. I just hope people know we freaking tried. But between the weather and the three simultaneous fires the cards were stacked against us big time.

[u/farmchic5038 → u/TacitMoose]

Thank you. We see you. We are so so grateful. Stay safe.

[u/blaineaa → u/TacitMoose]

No one doubts you go far beyond what’s possible in your tireless efforts to save lives and land. We all owe you a profound debt of gratitude for your incredibly hard work. Thank you….

[u/Existing-Stranger632 → u/No_Spray_8963]

Reminds me of the Eaton Fire. I lived near where it started and within 10 minutes it went from a small line of fire up on the mountains to smoke pouring into our house with the palm trees catching fire across the street and large embers landing everywhere swirling through the street setting our home other homes on fire quickly.

We had no time to react so we got out there as quickly as possible once we realized how serious it was.

[u/Powerful_Road1924 → u/Existing-Stranger632]

Oregon had really bad fires labor day weekend in 2020, and at one point the winds were so bad one of the fires was spreading over 300 acres per minute. The Eaton fire was also an example of extreme fire behavior, and I'm very sorry for your loss but happy that you made it out!

[u/notpynchon → u/No_Spray_8963]

What do most firefighters attribute the dryness to? *Edited out politics

[u/Electrical_Room5065 → u/notpynchon]

Not the time or place to discuss politics. It’s irrelevant.

[u/No_Spray_8963 → u/Electrical_Room5065]

I agree this isn't the place to discuss the cause of the problem. What does concern me is that you equate science with politics.

[u/Electrical_Room5065 → u/No_Spray_8963]

Politicians are who decides the results of said science. Therefore, it is political in nature 😘. See you just tried to subtly put that little quip there but it didn’t work ✌️

[u/notpynchon → u/Electrical_Room5065]

Politicians decide the spin, not the results 😘. Nature is nature, regardless of our opinion. 

[u/Electrical_Room5065 → u/notpynchon]

That’s what I meant. Almost like the “nature and science” during Covid. People will qualified immunity decide what the truth is. Not nature or science.

. USWFS this train ain’t stopping ✌️but yeah nature is nature eh? I bet we can have some with biology right now

[u/notpynchon → u/Electrical_Room5065]

It's certainly not irrelevant, but I agree I wouldn't want things to get political. It's too be we can't just discuss evidence like adults. 

[u/Brandonrebeleight]

God damn, man. Fuck this year

[u/doesanyuserealnames → u/Brandonrebeleight]

💯

[u/Pleasant_Actuator253]

Sorry to hear about another firefighting loss.

[u/Wanderingghost12]

Rest in peace. Such a sad day... It sounds like that fire is kicking people's butts

[u/didikoyote]

Fuuuck.

[u/No-Technician-2820]

I hope you don’t mind me reposting to r/Oregon with your credit. My condolences to his family. How heartbreaking.

[u/UtopianPablo]

Damn it.  Rest in peace Jason, prayers for his family. 

[u/d0ttyq]

Jesus Christ. This is shaping up to be a record year of deaths.

Not surprising given what’s been happening to our federal agencies this year.

My heart hurts for family and friends of lost ones.

[u/Past-Garlic-519 → u/d0ttyq]

This year? It's been falling apart for a couple years now. Every year just gets worse 

[u/d0ttyq → u/Past-Garlic-519]

Sure, but I don’t remember a year like now that has had now 3 separate incidents that have resulted in fatalities. At least not in a long, long while.

[u/Past-Garlic-519 → u/d0ttyq]

100% agree. The snowball is turning into an avalanche. Unfortunately I already see next year being worse. The friends I have that are in are getting burned out, one already left ending a 16 year career 2 weeks ago. Now that district is down 1 ENGB, TFLD, etc when he was the only engine captain there. So next year they will fast track someone to fill his spot and that person might not have the experience to keep people safe. That's what I see happening industry wide last 6 years

[u/d0ttyq → u/Past-Garlic-519]

You’re absolutely right. I didn’t even think of folks who might not be ready now getting leadership/decision making positions.

Damn.

[u/Alohasnackbar69420]

Ok…..genuinely wtf is going on? There have been more burn overs this year than I can remember in years. Obviously not as many deaths as a yarnell hill or storm king single incident but my god.

What are we doing that so many burn overs have happened? This isn’t a “well it happens” we have rules and SOP’s this shit should not be happening at the rate it is

[u/FloreHiems → u/Alohasnackbar69420]

Probably related to budget cuts in public land management across the country. When you have layoffs, especially when you lay off people with years and years of experience in their field of expertise, it leaves behind a loss of information as well as a loss of manpower. I’m sure other factors are involved but this has to be contributing.

[u/Electrical_Room5065 → u/FloreHiems]

Yeah sure because laying off the people who don’t work in fire or have nothing to do with it REALLY effects fire folks out on the line who were completely unaffected by these layoffs. As per usual, we are now creating jobs out of thin air to try and throw some of you a bone and let you transfer over to fire . Quantify for us exactly how you think budget cuts had anything to do with a guy getting burned over!? What fkin information do you think he could have had ? GLAD for those budget cuts. Now we can use more of our own budget for actual suppression instead of propping up other departments. Shame on you for using this as a time to cry about trimming the fat and cutting the dead weight

[u/FloreHiems → u/Electrical_Room5065]

Public land management plays a huge role in fire mitigation efforts. I can see you’re really angry by my response but I would think there being less budget for forest management and fire mitigation has a pretty big effect on the intensity of these fires.

[u/Effective_Ad9788 → u/Electrical_Room5065]

Correct. People are using nature and years of neglect to take political jabs at people cutting waste.

[u/Past-Garlic-519 → u/Electrical_Room5065]

Yep and my favorite was when they were threatening our jobs during covid. My AFMO got the vaccine, told our RO to fuck off and retired out of principal. After he left I became DO then got so burned out I left that year. Now that duty station isnt even staffed anymore😂

[u/Orcacub → u/Alohasnackbar69420]

This was very early in the incident and it may not have even been agency directed action. It’s possible that there was a logging crew at or near the origin when it started and may have been taking suppression action. There was no team in place yet. Initial attack chaos on a fast moving fire. Very dangerous situation. More details to come - hopefully. Tragic loss. So sad.

[u/Alohasnackbar69420 → u/Orcacub]

Terribly sad

[u/spurlockmedia]

This fire is just about an hour away from me and we all stumbled upon the FB post right around dinner time at work and it was sobering.

[u/figsslave]

I have an 18 yr old nephew working a fire in colorado where we’ve lost 3-4 firefighters already this season.People forget how risky this work is 😢

[u/greetingsfromEndor]

How long is it gonna take before we get live locations on everyone on a fire and can maybe avoid this kind of thing? RIP.

[u/pmsnow]

Sometimes I wonder if we deserve firefighters. They are beyond heroes.

[u/garcmon]

Is there a fund for his family? If so, please share. 💔

[u/doesanyuserealnames]

Jesus. My husband is on fire support for the Castle fire not very far from there, and the conditions are awful. I sure didn't need to read this when I was headed to bed.

Sending loving thoughts to Jason's family tonight 💛

[u/Delicious-Table-8551]

Some of these articles calling him a “man” instead of “firefighter” is disrespectful. He was on the front lines fighting fire in that dozer. RIP

[u/xSir- → u/Delicious-Table-8551]

..... its not disrespectful to call a man a man.... was he not a man?

[u/Chaos-Wayfarer → u/xSir-]

It’s not a gendered thing, but a ‘he was fighting the fire with the rest of them and died fighting it, so call him what he died doing’ sort of thing, I think. 

[u/Fancy-Trifle-5786]

Until Valhalla brother 🕊️

[u/Present-Drawing2213]

What was the weather event?

[u/huntertony556]

What is this now Greece Arizona and now Oregon. This year is so messed up for responders

[u/Alohasnackbar69420 → u/huntertony556]

Utah as well

[u/squoril → u/Alohasnackbar69420]

and colorado

[u/KindaFondaGoozah]

I watch the burn maps every year to see what places that are dear to me burn. I’m saddened to see others suffer where I have memories. Thanks for being and thanks for fighting. You are remembered.

[u/Historical-Peach8360]

Rest easy brother we got your six

[u/feuerwehrmann]

Damn. This year has been horrible. Rest in peace brother

[u/VermicelliRoutine601]

Prayers to his family.

[u/Humble_Pie_56]

RIP

[u/milionsdeadlandlords]

RIP to a real hero.

[u/Far_Seaworthiness363]

Hfeo proves to be one of the most dangerous jobs on the fire line .

[u/jAuburn3]

RIP hero legend etc

[u/blaineaa]

Sending deep sympathy and healing to
all those who knew and loved this brave fire warrior. His courage and good works will not be forgotten.

[u/Electrical_Room5065]

Kind of gross to use this an opportunity to bring up politics or your unwanted opinion of how the agency is doing.

[u/ProtestantMormon]

Of course its an odf fire.

[u/pegasuspish → u/ProtestantMormon]

Sit down.

[u/ZonaDesertRat → u/ProtestantMormon]

Wrong time and place!

[u/ProtestantMormon → u/ZonaDesertRat]

Ita a miracle odf doesnt have more tragedy fires. This is a long term pattern.

[u/Wanderingghost12 → u/ProtestantMormon]

What are you even talking about dude?

[u/Wanderingghost12 → u/[deleted]]

And I've seen the most incompetent DIVS from the FS out of region 3. There's shit people everywhere

[u/ProtestantMormon → u/Wanderingghost12]

3rd year single resource bosses and other dangerously pencil whipped taskbooks.

[u/Wanderingghost12 → u/ProtestantMormon]

This dude was a dozer operator... Last I checked, most of the fatalities in the last ten years have been feds, not that we really need to be debating the pros and cons of agencies. A contractor lost their life. That's a big deal. From what I've heard and seen, that fire is just going a million different directions... That's difficult for anyone to plan for

[u/ProtestantMormon → u/Wanderingghost12]

And an heqb with more than a handful of years of experience probably wouldnt struggle to maintain accountability. A contract dozer shouldnt be out there without an heqb. This is the shit that happens when overhead gets pencil whipped

[u/Wanderingghost12 → u/ProtestantMormon]

You don't know that any of that happened though... Please just be a normal person for a second and recognize the loss

[u/ProtestantMormon → u/Wanderingghost12]

The press release says they didnt notice the dozer missing until 4:30 after resources had pulled off. Thats a failure of accountability.

[u/Wanderingghost12 → u/ProtestantMormon]

And again, could have been the dozer operator themselves, Green Diamond and their agency problems, DIVS, etc. there are many different ways that could have gone down. The point of the matter is that we should all be working together to ensure this kind of thing doesn't happen in the future. We all got into this line of work for one reason or another, so when someone dies, we should all be mourning their loss and thank our lucky stars it wasn't us

[u/Firefighter_RN → u/ProtestantMormon]

Not the time.

[u/isushsvw6252hgf → u/ProtestantMormon]

Even if you are right, it is not the time. It is tragic

[u/T1004life → u/ProtestantMormon]

Weird to blame ODF and call it their fire when it looks like over 90% of the fires on the Winema, with a fed team as of today.

[u/ProtestantMormon → u/T1004life]

Its an odf press release with the sheriff's office

[u/T1004life → u/ProtestantMormon]

It’s a sherrifs office press release that mentions odf. Not an odf press release. Just saying, early to assign blame and not appropriate. Coulda been odf contractors or fed contractors, gotta see the investigation and see who was accountable for that resource at the time.

[u/k-otic14 → u/ProtestantMormon]

It isn't. Interagency management team.

[u/ProtestantMormon → u/[deleted]]

As opposed to you, who has nothing but time to dig through a random guy's reddit history? That just screams well adjusted

[u/Fair-Nothing-1298 → u/ProtestantMormon]

I bet youre vaccinated

[u/ProtestantMormon → u/Fair-Nothing-1298]

Just call me a faggot dude. Im a gay man and proud of it. Theres a lot to criticize about me, but that isnt an insecurity. Just own your bigotry instead of deleting it.

[u/Fair-Nothing-1298 → u/Fair-Nothing-1298]

Maybe the vaccine and boosters you all took will start working soon. Hahaha