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Stand 2 - CCC Crew Parking Area

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on

Approximately 1400 hours the CCC crew arrived at Rock Creek. They drove to the end of the two-track road leading into the creek. At this point, the Crew Foreman, Wilbur Timmons, divided the 23 person crew into two squads. He would take his squad and approach the fire along the ridge to the north of the fire. He placed Earnest Tippin in charge of the second squad. Tippin's group was directed to approach from the west to the bottom of the fire. Foreman Timmons believed the bottom of the fire would be safer for the less experienced squad boss Tippin. Timmons had briefed Tippin in the truck as they drove into the fire. Timmons gave a direct order to "keep the men in safety". The squads rapidly assembled and departed the truck heading to the fire. Tippin's route took him a short distance up Rock Canyon then south, crossing over a saddle, and following the McConnell Trail. The McConnell Trail followed a dry drainage west toward the fire. Timmons continued up Rock Creek ½ mile then started hiking a ridgeline heading to the north of the fire. Almost 300 yards due east of Stand 2, on the south facing slope above Rock Creek is the Vitale fatality site. This is a good time to point this out, however, Stand 4 will provide the greatest vantage point for discussion regarding Vitale's escape route.

See the orthophoto map with the final fire perimeter and NAD 83 GPS locations for stands shown, above.

The two squads hiked together up Rock Creek to the point were Tippin's crew turned to the south and crossed over the saddle you can see on the right side of the photo.

The two squads hiked together up Rock Creek to the point were Tippin's crew turned to the south and crossed over the saddle you can see on the right side of the photo.

Looking back down the two-track road from the crew parking area toward the Gabica Ranch.

Looking back down the two-track road from the crew parking area toward the Gabica Ranch.

 
Location (SRS)
POINT (-117.7539 41.55665)
Related Stand
Staff Ride to the Rock Creek Fire

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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
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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

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

Date: Aug 6, 2025
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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

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

Date: July 31, 2025
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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:

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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

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NWCG Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Module Leader Position Page

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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

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