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Cramer Fire
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Accident Investigation Factual ReportCramer Fire Fatalities
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| Date | Time Action |
| July 19, 2003 | 2100 ..... Lightning strike reported in the area of Cramer Creek. |
| July 20, 2003 | 1630 ..... Cramer Fire reported. 1648 ..... Jumper 41 diverted from the Crystal Fire to the Cramer Fire. 1704 ..... Fire 3 acres with high spread potential. Jumper 41 unable to staff due to high winds. 1713 ..... Cramer air attack departed for Cramer Fire. BLM engines 7157 and 422 dispatched. 1754 ….. Moyer helicopter (H-166) dispatched to Cramer Fire. 1900 ….. [———] became IC Type IV for Cramer Fire. 1938 ..... IC Type IV requested an IC Type III for fire. 1950 ..... Fire reconned by helicopter. 2015 ..... IC Type IV, IC Type IV trainee, and five engine crewmembers landed on H-1 . 2143 ..... Additional firefighters unable to fly to fire because of darkness. |
| July 21, 2003 | 0030 ..... Five firefighters bed down. IC Type IV and trainee monitor
the fire. 0230 ..... Fire, which burned actively until 0230, started to die down. 0530 ..... IC Type IV trainee walked perimeter. 0710 ..... Fire 35 to 45 acres. 0800 ..... Spot weather forecast. 133-KA available. 1000 ..... Cramer air attack over fire. Estimated size at 40 acres. Landed at 1042. 1058 ..... [———] became IC Type III after helicopter recon. 1130 ..... Fire activity increased on east and north sides. 1148 ..... 133-KA sent to fire. 1242 ..... Hand crew began shuttle to H-1. 141 0 ..... IC Type III requested retardant. 1515 ..... Indianola helicopter (H-193) and crew reported to fire. 1558 ..... Cramer air attack returned to fire. 1613 ..... IC Type III reported active fire and potential to reach Salmon River road by morning. 1631 ..... Lookout posted for hand crew. 1715 ..... Fire 60 acres. Two medium helicopters requested. 1735 ..... IC Type III and crew began leaving fire. 1952 ..... Fire 200 acres. 2000 ..... Fire intensity low. 2100 ..... Forest aviation officer reported fire operations concerns. 2130 ..... IC Type III shared plan for July 22 with forest fire staff and zone duty officer. |
| July 22, 2003 | 0300 ..... Fire, which burned actively until 0300, started to die
down. 0820 ..... Fire reconned by helicopter. 0900 ..... 133-KA sent to fire for bucket work. 0900 ..... Morning briefing at Cove Creek helibase. 0929 ..... H-193 launched to rappel Allen and Heath onto the H-2 site. 0955 ..... Cramer air attack over fire. 1021 ..... Recon enroute to H-1. Fire perimeter into Cache Bar drainage. 1030 ..... Fire active below H-1. 1100 ..... Progress check on H-2 construction. 1230 ..... Progress check on H-2 construction. 1300 ..... [————] identified fire in Cache Bar drainage. 1304 ..... [————] relieved Cramer air attack. 1326 ..... Fire reconned by helicopter. Fire visible in Cache Bar drainage. 1327 ..... H-193 transitions to bucket work on H-1. 1340 ..... H-1 threatened by fire. Firefighters pull back. Crewman on helicopter recon dropped off. 1400 ..... Fire activity intense. H-1 burned over. 1423 ..... [————] communicated concerns about fire to [————]. 1430 ..... Smoldering fire in Cache Bar drainage became active fire front. 1445 ..... Progress check on H-2 construction. 1445 ..... H-166 sent to pick up crewman from fire previously dropped off. 1447 ..... [———] planned to remove rappellers from H-2. 1454 ..... Cramer air attack over fire. 1500 ..... Fire in the Cramer Creek and Cache Bar drainages began to spread rapidly. Helicopters down for maintenance and refueling. 1505 ..... Rappellers called for immediate pickup. 1509 ..... Rappellers called for immediate pickup. Reported they were fine, just taking a lot of smoke. 1511 ..... [——] crews began to pull off the fire line. 1513 ..... Rappellers report fire and smoke below them. Ask for immediate pickup. 1514 ..... [————] involved in multiple conversations about diverting resources. 1519 ..... Rappellers contacted helibase about status of H-166. H-166 enroute to H-2. 1520 ..... H-166 unable to land. Rappellers departed H-2. 1524 ..... Cache Bar drainage fully involved in fire. Rappellers made final call for immediate pickup and died shortly afterward. 1525 ..... H-166 returned to helibase for fuel. 1530 ..... Cramer air attack attempted to contact rappellers. 1534 ..... H-193 launched to search for rappellers. 1545 ..... H-166 diverted to Stoddard Fire. 1600 ..... [————] reported contact lost with rappellers. 1616 ..... H-166 returned. Searched for missing rappellers. 1650 ..... H-193 departed helibase to continue search. 1730 ..... [——] crews at road awaiting pickup. 1749 ..... Transition to new [————]. 1755 ..... Two helitack crewmembers initiated ground search for rappellers. 1820 ..... Bodies of rappellers located. Two more helitack crewmembers arrive to spend the night. 2020 ..... Fire reached Long Tom Creek. |
| July 23, 2003 | 0912 ..... New helispot near H-2 cleared. 1008 ..... H-166 transports Lemhi County officials to fatality site. 1258 ..... Bodies of rappellers transported to helibase. 1500 ..... Fatality site secured. 1510 ..... Bodies flown to Salmon, ID, airport. 1800 ..... Investigation team arrived in Salmon. |
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