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2026 WOR: Redmond Smokejumper Fatality – Ray Rubio

Letter to Leadership |  Day 1  |  Day 2  |  Day 3  |  Day 4  |  Day 5  |  Day 6  |  Day 7  |   Workouts

 

Today we honor Ray Rubio, an Army veteran of the 82nd Airborne Division and a 25-year federal wildland firefighter. Ray spent 22 of those years as a Redmond Smokejumper. 

Ray Rubio, December 19, 2016

Incident Summary: 

The Redmond Smokejumper Base often sent firefighters to the Southern Area during the late fall to assist with prescribed fire and wildland fire response. 2016 had been a punishing wildfire season in the Southern Area, so the smokejumpers had spent their assignment fighting fires, not lighting prescribed fires. On November 23rd, Ray Rubio and a group of Redmond Smokejumpers spent their last night in Alabama before heading home to Oregon for Thanksgiving. Late that night, someone found Ray unconscious with a serious head injury from an apparent fall. An ambulance brought Ray to the hospital in Birmingham, AL, where he underwent emergency surgery to relieve pressure in his skull. A Care Team of smokejumper colleagues and others was established to support Ray’s family and to liaise between medical professionals and agency officials. Despite continuous care, Ray passed away in the hospital in Birmingham on December 19, 2016.

Discussion:

  1. Accidents, illnesses, and emergencies don’t only happen on the fireline. When a tragedy occurs during travel status, what is the process to initiate notifications and coordinate a response? What else is different? How can we prepare for such an event? 
  2. The prolonged injury and death of a friend or colleague causes immense emotional distress and takes a physical toll. The person injured is not the only one affected. Our coworkers and community will bend over backwards to care for us and our families in situations like these. How can we support each other in these difficult times? How can we balance caring for ourselves as well as others during these situations? How do we manage compassion fatigue and recognize it in others?
  3. In the event of a tragic accident like Ray’s, are your final wishes known? Do you have beneficiaries, and have they been made known legally? Is your emergency-notification documentation up to date, including multiple emergency contacts, significant medical history, and allergies?

References:

Category
Week of Remembrance

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NWCG Latest Announcements

Intermediate Faller (FAL2) Position Task Book Update

Date:  July 24, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Tree Felling Subcommittee

NWCG Operations Management Committee (OMC) has issued an update to the NWCG Position Task Book for Intermediate Faller (FAL2), PMS 311-91. To ensure clarity for both trainees and evaluators, the updated FAL2 Position Task Book (PTB) explicitly states who is authorized to sign off on your tasks:

“Evaluators must be qualified as a FAL2, or an Advanced Faller (FAL1).”

If you are currently working out of a previously published version of the FAL2 PTB, you do not need to restart. However, OMC highly encourages you to take the following step to prevent any confusion in the field:

  • Print and replace the updated evaluator information page (page 2) in your current physical PTB.

References:

Intermediate Faller (FAL2) Position Page

RMC Memo 26-01: Transition Plan for Implementing Updates to Intermediate Faller (FAL2) Position Qualifications

NWCG Position Task Book for Intermediate Faller (FAL2), PMS 311-91

Equipment Advisory 26-001: Potential Front Driveline Joint Failure on 2018 and Earlier Ram Pickups

Date:  July 10, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Equipment and Technology Subcommittee

The Logistics/Equipment Management Committee (LMC) has released Equipment Advisory 26-001: Potential Front Driveline Joint Failure on 2018 and Earlier Ram Pickups. This advisory highlights multiple U.S. Forest Service regions reporting front driveline joint failure incidents.

This advisory recommends firefighters and fire managers to: 

  • Follow all Ram-issued inspection, maintenance, and service guidance for front driveline joints. 
  • Consider installing a driveline loop. 
  • Coordinate with fleet managers and service providers to determine the most appropriate driveline loop kit for each pickup.

For further details, please refer to the complete advisory.

References:

Equipment Advisory 26-001: Potential Front Driveline Joint Failure on 2018 and Earlier Ram Pickups

Technical Service Bulletin: 03-002-21

NEW! NWCG Standard Operating Procedures, PMS 900

Date:  July 9, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: NWCG Staff

NWCG is excited to announce the publication of the NWCG Standard Operating Procedures, PMS 900.

The new publication establishes general, consistent, and uniform standards for conducting business with the National Wildfire Coordinating Group.

References:

NWCG Standard Operating Procedures, PMS 900

Quarter Four Materials for the 2025-2026 Wildland Fire Leadership Campaign Now Available

Date:  July 8, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Leadership Development Subcommittee

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

Quarter Four materials focus on Leadership Level 4: Leader of Leaders (Provide Direction). Leadership Level 4 is where you are setting the conditions for others to do things well, even when you are not present. This quarter focuses on equipping experienced leaders with skills to provide direction, build trust across teams, and foster strong decision making. 

References:

2025/2026 NWCG Leadership Campaign - Leadership Levels

Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program

Leadership Development Subcommittee