0:00:30.929,0:00:35.400 Speaker 1: We got the call, I think it was like at 10:30 0:00:35.400,0:00:36.829 at night, roughly. 0:00:36.829,0:00:41.690 End up meeting up at Greenspring Station, all the other four engines. 0:00:41.690,0:00:45.280 We left to go towards the Inyo National Forest. 0:00:45.280,0:00:52.260 I believe we got down there about three in the morning. 0:00:52.260,0:00:55.129 We stayed at a conservation camp. 0:00:55.129,0:00:59.199 We arrived roughly about seven, seven something, watched the fire behavior on the hill. 0:00:59.199,0:01:00.789 It was spotting pretty good. 0:01:00.789,0:01:05.990 We knew, usually, in conditions like ... It was spotting maybe half mile, so it those 0:01:05.990,0:01:08.920 conditions were pretty good already, at seven in the morning, when you were in for it, a 0:01:08.920,0:01:12.060 little bit. 0:01:12.060,0:01:15.200 We got a briefing from our chief. 0:01:15.200,0:01:20.310 We're in this about the eastern side of the Sierra Nevadas. 0:01:20.310,0:01:26.520 Pretty much telling us, don't want to get in front of them, talking about safety issues. 0:01:26.520,0:01:28.840 He had us go out and scout the area. 0:01:28.840,0:01:33.060 There was a few homes, maybe 25, 50 homes in the area. 0:01:33.060,0:01:36.020 He had us drive up and down the roads, checking them out. 0:01:36.020,0:01:45.350 There was a nice little, I would say, a riparian area, where probably 50 to 75 trees, maybe. 0:01:45.350,0:01:47.100 Pretty green. 0:01:47.100,0:01:48.901 We didn't check that out in the morning. 0:01:48.901,0:01:53.020 Didn't know much about it, but there was a bridge leading over there, so the chief had 0:01:53.020,0:01:54.909 us go back there and check it out. 0:01:54.909,0:01:58.060 Speaker 2: Our crew got on our engine and went across 0:01:58.060,0:02:00.659 the bridge and realized we were on somebody's little compound. 0:02:00.659,0:02:06.600 It looked like somebody set up a homestead and they were dug in for the long haul. 0:02:06.600,0:02:15.590 They had a main house and several outhouses, and then about the middle, mid entrance of 0:02:15.590,0:02:20.750 the compound, they had dug out a large area for a pond. 0:02:20.750,0:02:23.570 Sure enough, the fire got closer to the road, and we noticed that we were getting a spot 0:02:23.570,0:02:29.980 or two within this compound, so the supervisor made a decision, and we were all pretty comfortable 0:02:29.980,0:02:32.939 with it, that we're going to get the spots and get out. 0:02:32.939,0:02:36.360 If things go bad, we're going to go in this pond. 0:02:36.360,0:02:39.930 At the time, I didn't even really think about it, because it wasn't a situation where I 0:02:39.930,0:02:41.269 felt really threatened. 0:02:41.269,0:02:46.640 It just seemed like a little clean up, get in and get out. 0:02:46.640,0:02:48.969 But then, we started noticing a couple different things. 0:02:48.969,0:02:54.290 We noticed that we had an individual who lived on the compound, that she was trying to pack 0:02:54.290,0:02:56.989 up her knick-knacks, one by one, to her car. 0:02:56.989,0:02:57.989 She didn't want to leave her knick-knacks. 0:02:57.989,0:03:05.480 We, as nicely as we could, got her in her vehicle and helped her get out of the area. 0:03:05.480,0:03:12.680 The same time, we're catching at multiple spots and we thought we'd hit these spots 0:03:12.680,0:03:17.949 and get out, as soon as we got the lady out of the area. 0:03:17.949,0:03:19.999 One of my partners ... There was four of us. 0:03:19.999,0:03:23.889 One of my partners went and started a hose lay. 0:03:23.889,0:03:31.049 Two of my other partners, they started catching some spots, so they started another hose lay. 0:03:31.049,0:03:35.799 The operator at the time, he decided to take a tool and take care of some areas and kind 0:03:35.799,0:03:39.559 of get a walk around, real quick, of what was going on and see if we had any issues. 0:03:39.559,0:03:45.169 I was trying to help everybody with what they needed, whether it was hose or whatnot, and 0:03:45.169,0:03:49.449 at that point, I realized that everybody was doing something and I had another engine coming 0:03:49.449,0:03:50.449 in. 0:03:50.449,0:03:53.199 I was trying to make contact with them and see what they needed and let them know what 0:03:53.199,0:03:54.359 we were doing. 0:03:54.359,0:03:58.419 After I tied in with them, their supervisor decided to back up what we were doing and 0:03:58.419,0:03:59.731 help out with the hose lays. 0:03:59.731,0:04:02.889 Speaker 1: I was pretty much on my own with the hundred 0:04:02.889,0:04:05.909 foot, just thinking, "Okay, what am I going to do by myself?", and thinking, "All right. 0:04:05.909,0:04:14.339 Do I leave the hose, or go back for another pack, or just stay here and do what I can?" 0:04:14.339,0:04:22.770 About that time, another engine had been sent in to come help us. 0:04:22.770,0:04:27.570 The three firefighters from that engine and the captain came out and they got packs. 0:04:27.570,0:04:29.590 They came out with me and we started progressing. 0:04:29.590,0:04:35.080 The captain started walking the outline of the riparian area and he took off. 0:04:35.080,0:04:41.460 Maybe a minute or two after he took off, we were trying to clamp the hose and the fuels 0:04:41.460,0:04:45.639 on the ground caught into the canopy, as we were trying to clamp the hose. 0:04:45.639,0:04:48.230 It was too late, by that time. 0:04:48.230,0:04:53.910 By the time we got it clamped and everything, it was already starting to run in the canopy. 0:04:53.910,0:04:57.319 I wasn't too sure if those guys knew exactly if there was a pond. 0:04:57.319,0:05:02.419 I remember telling them, "Get to the f'ing pond. 0:05:02.419,0:05:04.270 This crap's about to blow up." 0:05:04.270,0:05:10.010 Speaker 2: It's just getting really loud. 0:05:10.010,0:05:16.580 Calling for my supervisor, my operator, and my crew members, "Hey, get out. 0:05:16.580,0:05:17.580 Get out. 0:05:17.580,0:05:18.580 Get back to the pond. 0:05:18.580,0:05:20.449 Get back to the pond," but it just didn't seem like I was screaming. 0:05:20.449,0:05:26.710 It seemed like I was talking very low, because the noise was so loud, I couldn't hear myself. 0:05:26.710,0:05:30.870 That's when I think I realized, "This is a little bit bigger than what I thought it was." 0:05:30.870,0:05:35.400 I looked around, real quick, to see if I could make a run for the bridge and then realized, 0:05:35.400,0:05:37.180 "No, it's coming from that area." 0:05:37.180,0:05:42.460 I looked at where my co workers were and saw that it was getting bigger and it was now 0:05:42.460,0:05:47.740 going lateral and coming across the tops and realized, "I need to make a decision on where 0:05:47.740,0:05:52.180 I'm going to go, because nobody's coming towards me, nobody's going towards the pond yet." 0:05:52.180,0:05:57.639 About the time I decided to turn around and run for the pond, then I kind of felt everybody 0:05:57.639,0:06:00.340 coming in the same direction, towards the pond. 0:06:00.340,0:06:07.419 I'm trying to run towards the pond, and dragging my day pack, and pull out the shelter at the 0:06:07.419,0:06:08.419 same time. 0:06:08.419,0:06:10.750 I realized, "I better do one thing at a time." 0:06:10.750,0:06:15.960 I stopped for a second, opened up the pack, and looked over to make sure I was still going 0:06:15.960,0:06:19.039 in the right direction of the pond. 0:06:19.039,0:06:22.950 I was fumbling for my shelter. 0:06:22.950,0:06:26.490 Somebody brushed by me and I realized, "Okay, maybe I should get in the water now versus 0:06:26.490,0:06:29.169 try to deploy the shelter here." 0:06:29.169,0:06:33.229 I'm about ankle deep in the water and people are starting to come towards the water and 0:06:33.229,0:06:35.289 get in the water. 0:06:35.289,0:06:41.999 I just remember looking up to see how bad it was and everything was red, it seemed like. 0:06:41.999,0:06:43.680 The tree tops were red. 0:06:43.680,0:06:49.169 No matter which direction I looked in, it seemed like this wasn't getting any better. 0:06:49.169,0:06:50.930 It was getting a lot worse. 0:06:50.930,0:06:54.469 At that point, I think I just kind of threw myself in the water and was still fumbling 0:06:54.469,0:06:56.789 with the pack. 0:06:56.789,0:07:03.470 I remember looking up, because I could feel the heat coming from the top down, right through 0:07:03.470,0:07:04.470 all my gear. 0:07:04.470,0:07:06.710 I'm still kind of not all the way in the water. 0:07:06.710,0:07:15.950 I look up and it's overhead and it's just red and orange above me. 0:07:15.950,0:07:17.219 I'm trying to get the pack out. 0:07:17.219,0:07:18.219 It's still not coming out. 0:07:18.219,0:07:24.650 The plastic rings pop off, the strap didn't want to come off, the plastic didn't want 0:07:24.650,0:07:28.360 to come off the shelter itself. 0:07:28.360,0:07:32.821 At some point, I just took the shelter and was kind of putting it between me and what 0:07:32.821,0:07:35.919 felt like the hottest spot, which was right above the right side of my head. 0:07:35.919,0:07:42.099 I'm starting at what just seemed like chaos to me, but at the same time, trying to fumble 0:07:42.099,0:07:43.949 with the pack. 0:07:43.949,0:07:47.870 After about a couple second, I finally get the pack open. 0:07:47.870,0:07:57.620 I'm pretty much in the water and now I'm starting to get the pack open and the shelter deployed. 0:07:57.620,0:08:01.189 Even with the shelter open, I still decide I'm going to keep myself a little bit more 0:08:01.189,0:08:02.740 in the water than anything else. 0:08:02.740,0:08:09.470 I had the shelter open and deployed, but I kept most of my body and my head at water. 0:08:09.470,0:08:15.289 I tried keeping my eyes about the water, but it was just so hot that it didn't help. 0:08:15.289,0:08:20.830 I would stick my head under water for a second or two and then come back up. 0:08:20.830,0:08:26.439 It was pretty nerve wracking, because everybody was either screaming for each other, or going 0:08:26.439,0:08:28.800 through some pretty tough emotions at the time. 0:08:28.800,0:08:31.500 Speaker 1: Eventually got to the pond. 0:08:31.500,0:08:32.500 They were standing at the pond. 0:08:32.500,0:08:35.260 I was knee deep almost, already, by then. 0:08:35.260,0:08:37.800 Waist deep, maybe. 0:08:37.800,0:08:39.460 Just telling them, "Get in the pond. 0:08:39.460,0:08:40.460 Get in the pond." 0:08:40.460,0:08:42.860 At that time, I realized, "Crap, better get my shelter out." 0:08:42.860,0:08:44.640 So, I got my shelter out. 0:08:44.640,0:08:47.410 I remember just trying to pull the straps. 0:08:47.410,0:08:54.370 It got kind of caught, so I was like, "I don't think I have enough time to get this out." 0:08:54.370,0:08:56.940 Fire started coming over our head and I was just like, "I'm in here." 0:08:56.940,0:09:00.010 You always hear that the heat gases and what's going to kill you. 0:09:00.010,0:09:02.060 It's going to burn your lungs. 0:09:02.060,0:09:07.810 I took a last breath, and held my nose, and went under the water. 0:09:07.810,0:09:09.649 Just thinking, "Just try to stay under here as long as I can. 0:09:09.649,0:09:15.050 Just don't want to come up for air and die." 0:09:15.050,0:09:20.510 Stayed down there and remember hearing people in the water kind of screaming, or something, 0:09:20.510,0:09:21.510 a little bit. 0:09:21.510,0:09:24.180 There was yelling, a little bit of screaming. 0:09:24.180,0:09:28.020 Wasn't sure what was going on, so it made me freak out a little bit, under the water. 0:09:28.020,0:09:32.260 Kind of like, "Oh my god, I don't want to die like this." 0:09:32.260,0:09:41.350 I think ... As I was sitting under the water, thinking, I was like, "Maybe if I just come 0:09:41.350,0:09:45.040 up," because I was getting out of breath, "if I just come up and do a quick [inaudible 0:09:45.040,0:09:48.889 00:09:44] and then go back under, I'll be all right." 0:09:48.889,0:09:51.100 So, I was debating on that. 0:09:51.100,0:09:53.680 I started trying to drink the water, as I was underwater. 0:09:53.680,0:09:55.399 Trying, as I'm holding my breath, before I come up. 0:09:55.399,0:09:59.019 Finally, I couldn't do that no more, so I came up and did a quick little breath and 0:09:59.019,0:10:00.019 went back under. 0:10:00.019,0:10:04.180 I did that a few times and then, finally, I heard people talking when I'd come up. 0:10:04.180,0:10:07.899 I was like, "They're trying to get a count, accountability." 0:10:07.899,0:10:15.510 So, I heard that and I came up and realized what was going on, with everything around 0:10:15.510,0:10:16.510 us. 0:10:16.510,0:10:18.260 Speaker 2: In the water, we were there for a couple minutes 0:10:18.260,0:10:22.280 and there was just a lot of unusual noises. 0:10:22.280,0:10:28.360 Things popping and things making really unusual booms. 0:10:28.360,0:10:32.420 We weren't sure what was happening, we just knew that this isn't right. 0:10:32.420,0:10:34.259 This doesn't feel right. 0:10:34.259,0:10:38.589 Per our supervisor, we were like, "Okay, we're going to get out of the water and we might 0:10:38.589,0:10:39.639 try to make a run for it. 0:10:39.639,0:10:45.449 We're going to get to the engine and see what we can do from there." 0:10:45.449,0:10:52.320 We got out of the water and we started walking towards one of the engines. 0:10:52.320,0:10:56.300 We all had our ... The ones of us ... The few of us that did have our shelters, we huddled 0:10:56.300,0:10:57.899 around those that didn't have their shelters. 0:10:57.899,0:11:00.710 We walked towards the engine. 0:11:00.710,0:11:07.720 We were between the engine and the structure and the supervisors were trying to assess 0:11:07.720,0:11:08.720 what they were going to do. 0:11:08.720,0:11:11.780 Speaker 1: I asked the captain, I said, "You guys got 0:11:11.780,0:11:12.780 an extra shelter? 0:11:12.780,0:11:14.930 I dropped mine in the water." 0:11:14.930,0:11:16.480 He was like, "It's in the engine." 0:11:16.480,0:11:20.700 I got in the engine and pulled that shelter out, and pulled the straps. 0:11:20.700,0:11:27.550 I got it out, got ready to just hunker down in there inside the little site where we were. 0:11:27.550,0:11:33.510 It was all pretty much bare minimum soil, nothing, just dirt. 0:11:33.510,0:11:41.380 Got that all ready and then they wanted us to try to save the engine, but I think a ember, 0:11:41.380,0:11:45.010 or a stick, or something, had burned one of the lines, so couldn't get really any water 0:11:45.010,0:11:46.010 out. 0:11:46.010,0:11:47.600 We did what we could. 0:11:47.600,0:11:53.160 Then the structures caught on fire and the structure was next to a 500 gallon propane 0:11:53.160,0:11:58.180 tank, so eventually that caused us to go back into the pond. 0:11:58.180,0:12:01.910 We all retreated back to the pond. 0:12:01.910,0:12:07.490 Propane tank started to vent, right after we got in the pond. 0:12:07.490,0:12:14.060 I think I took my shelter and used it as a bubble, I guess, and enclosed it all around. 0:12:14.060,0:12:16.519 Sat there, just begging mercy. 0:12:16.519,0:12:18.649 I can't wait to get out of this. 0:12:18.649,0:12:22.650 Thinking, "I hope those guys on the outside are coming in, putting this thing out." 0:12:22.650,0:12:28.170 Eventually, you can hear the aircraft dropping on us. 0:12:28.170,0:12:33.540 I think it was about an hour and a half later that we eventually got out of there. 0:12:33.540,0:12:37.380 It was pretty much the only time I really used the shelter, was in there. 0:12:37.380,0:12:41.579 Eventually, I had to take a peek out, when I felt more safe. 0:12:41.579,0:12:47.089 We walked out, and I don't know, like I said, an hour and a half later. 0:12:47.089,0:12:48.819 That was about it.