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The Great Fires of 1910 (The Big Blowup) – August 20th

This Day in History is a brief summary of a powerful learning opportunity and is not intended to second guess or be judgmental of decisions and actions. Put yourself in the following situation as if you do not know the outcome. What are the conditions? What are you thinking? What are YOU doing?

Incident Summary:

The 1910 fire season in the Northern Rockies was an unprecedented challenge to the US Forest Service. Record drought conditions had combined with an unusually strong lightning cycle and an abundance of man-caused fires. By July 15, there were over 3000 firefighters on the fireline in Region 1 of the Forest Service alone. On August 8, President Taft deployed numerous companies of the regular Army to northern Idaho and western Montana.

On August 20, an upper-level trough, centered in Saskatchewan, moved through the Northern Rockies between 1000 and 2100 hrs. This cold front passage brought a strong west/southwest wind that caused numerous fires to blowup and join together to create large fire fronts that moved across the landscape. Fire crews across the Northern Rockies found themselves in danger of entrapment. Many were able to take refuge in previously burned areas, natural safety zones, and mine tunnels. Some were completely cut off, and by the end of the day, 85 persons - 78 of them firefighters - had lost their lives at 9 separate fatality sites.

This day in wildland fire history is dedicated to all those at the Big Blowup.


Black and white photo of burned out timber.

Discussion Points:

  • The fire behavior on August 20 was influenced a great deal by the drought conditions.

Discuss what a Fire Danger Rating System pocket card tells us and where to get them.

  • Messengers were sent to some of the crews to warn them of the impending windstorm, but most of the crews received no warning.

We often depend on our handheld radios to receive critical weather updates. What backup systems / technologies can be used if our radios don’t work?

  • On the West Fork Big Creek fire, a 60-person crew was instructed by their supervisor to choose between two safety zones, the black from the previous burning period or the creek bottom below.  19 firefighters chose to take shelter in a nearby homesteader’s cabin which ignited as the flame front passed. 18 of them perished rushing outside. The one survivor tripped at the door and fell to the ground. 

What is your agency’s policy on taking refuge in a structure?  What considerations would you take into account?

  • The 18 firefighters on the Stevens Peak fire burned out a safety zone in light fuels.  One firefighter perished when he breathed in super-heated air. 

Discuss the importance of protecting your airway in entrapment situations, and methods of doing so.

  • When the 70 firefighters working on the Setser Creek fire were instructed by their supervisor to proceed down-stream to a safety zone, 27 of them disregarded the order and chose instead to follow the instructions of the Camp Cook who insisted there was no danger.  All 28 lost their lives. 

What tools are used by your crew/unit to improve crew cohesion in times of stress?

  • On the Middle Fork Big Creek fire, one crew had retreated to a two-acre clearing with a stream running through it.  Most of the firefighters who sought refuge in the stream survived.  Three firefighters, however, were killed when a large tree fell on them. 

What factors influence the selection of a good safety zone? (Review Safety Zones found under Operational Engagement section (green) in the Incident Response Pocket Guide (IRPG), PMS 461.)

  • On the Storm Creek fire, the crew supervisor had led his 70-person crew to a safety zone consisting of black from the previous day’s burn.  This safety zone proved to be a good one, as the crew safely watched the fire burn around them.  One firefighter left the protection of the safety zone and was found dead the next day.

How do you and your crew provide for firefighter accountability?

  • After the Big Blowup, there were 116 injured firefighters.  Some received their initial care from Army field surgeons.  Others, including famous Ranger Ed Pulaski, were left with long-term disabilities. 

What are the burn injury protocols on your unit? 

 

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Last Modified / Reviewed:

NWCG Latest Announcements

ETC/RMC Safety Bulletin: 25-001 New Guidance on Laundering Wildland Fire Clothing to Reduce Contamination

Date: Aug 8, 2025
Questions? Please contact:
Equipment Technology Committee
 Risk Management Committee

The Equipment Technology Committee (ETC) and the Risk Management Committee (RMC) have issued Safety Bulletin 25-001: Laundering to Decontaminate Wildland Fire Clothing. Recent research revealed that wildland fire flame-resistant pants and shirts can be contaminated with chemicals from combustion byproducts, including carcinogens, and that common laundering practices can effectively remove these harmful contaminants from wildland firefighter clothing more effectively than previously understood. It is recommended to decontaminate wildland fire clothing as frequently as possible. 

Frequently Asked Questions about this new information and how to implement recommendations can be found on the NWCG Alerts page. Read the complete ETC/RMC Safety Bulletin: 25-001 to learn more. 

References:

NWCG Alerts

ETC Safety Bulletin: 25-001

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on Laundering to Decontaminate Wildland Fire Clothing

Equipment Technology Committee

Risk Management Committee

FAQ Now Available for Archiving Type 1 and Type 2 Incident Positions

Date: Aug 6, 2025
Questions? Please contact:
Incident and Position Standards Committee

To support the transition to Complex Incident Management (CIM), NWCG will archive all Type 1 and Type 2 Command and General Staff (C&G) position qualifications in January 2026, as outlined in NWCG Executive Board Memo 25-002. To assist with this transition, a new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document is now available.

This resource answers common questions about the status of Type 1 and Type 2 qualifications, impacts to incident qualification management, training requirements, and resource ordering considerations. Review the full FAQ to learn more.

For additional information on CIM and the transition of C&G positions, see NWCG Executive Board Memos 23-005, 24-005, and 25-002, as well as the Incident Workforce and Development Group webpage.

References:

NWCG Type 1 & Type 2 Position Archiving FAQ

NWCG Executive Board Correspondence

Incident Workforce Development Group

Incident and Position Standards Committee

Incident Position Standards and the Next Generation Position Task Books Now Available for UASD, UASM, UASL and UASP

Date: July 31, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
Interagency Fire Unmanned Aircraft Systems Subcommittee
 

NWCG is excited to announce that Incident Position Standards and the Next Generation Position Task Books are now available for all four Unmanned Aircraft Systems positions:

  • Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Data Specialist (UASD)
  • Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Manager (UASM)
  • Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Module Leader (UASL)
  • Unmanned Aircraft Systems Pilot (UASP)

The Performance Support Packages for these positions were developed as part of the Incident Performance and Training Modernization effort. These resources support trainees, qualified personnel, and evaluators in their respective roles.

Any changes to qualification pathways will take effect with the next update of the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1, scheduled for January 2026.

References:

NWCG Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Data Specialist Position Page

NWCG Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Manager Position Page

NWCG Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Module Leader Position Page

NWCG Unmanned Aircraft Systems Pilot Position Page

Incident Position Standards and the Next Generation Position Task Books Now Available for RADO and INCM

Date: July 30, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
Incident Logistics Subcommittee
 

NWCG is excited to announce that Incident Position Standards and the Next Generation Position Task Books are now available for Radio Operator (RADO) and Incident Communications Center Manager (INCM).

The Performance Support Packages for these positions were developed as part of the Incident Performance and Training Modernization effort. These resources support trainees, qualified personnel, and evaluators in their respective roles.

Any changes to qualification pathways will take effect with the next update of the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1, scheduled for January 2026.

References:

NWCG Radio Operator Position Page

NWCG Incident Communications Center Manager Position Page