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Stand 5 - Lunch Spot

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on

When you stand at the Lunch Spot you can see the double draws and the large drainage off to the west between you and the Overlook Point. It is here, after a lunch break, that a few of the smokejumpers and hotshots were instructed to work back up the west flank looking for hotspots and improving the line. Several individuals at different locations saw that the wind speed was beginning to increase. A Line Scout was working south from the Lunch Spot, down the hill past the end of the fireline and requested some help. The decision was made to focus on holding the existing line that was constructed while three smokejumpers tried to assist the Line Scout. Soon after that, the fire made several rapid runs within a previously under burned area just above the Line Scout. The three smokejumpers decided it was not a good idea to commit to the area where the Line Scout was located. At 1600 the fire blew up. It crossed the West Drainage at the base of the gully below the Line Scout. Within minutes a wall of flame was racing up the opposite slope. The Incident Commander directed the Jumper-in-Charge to bring the firefighters up from the bottom of the fireline. A smokejumper with the view of the blowup called the Jumper-in-Charge to tell him that the fire had crossed the main drainage and was "rolling." The fire was now being pushed by 30 m.p.h. winds.

The West Flank Fireline stops here at the Lunch Spot. The top of the Double Draws, Longanecker's location, and Petrilli's photo point are accessible from this location.

The West Flank Fireline stops here at the Lunch Spot. The top of the Double Draws, Longanecker's location, and Petrilli's photo point are accessible from this location.

Longanecker working as Line Scout well below the Lunch Spot and on a spur ridge to the south. When the fire blew up, he worked his way back to the area designated as the Lunch Spot and stayed there throughout the entrapment without deploying a fire shelter.

Longanecker working as Line Scout well below the Lunch Spot and on a spur ridge to the south. When the fire blew up, he worked his way back to the area designated as the Lunch Spot and stayed there throughout the entrapment without deploying a fire shelter.

 
Location (SRS)
POINT (-107.4222222 39.575)
Related Stand
Staff Ride to the South Canyon 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

Equipment Technology Committee

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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

NWCG Executive Board Correspondence

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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:

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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

NWCG Unmanned Aircraft Systems Pilot Position Page

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Date: July 30, 2025
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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

NWCG Incident Communications Center Manager Position Page