BATTLEMENT CREEK FIRE

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BATTLEMENT CREEK FIRE

• USDI, Bureau of Land Management
• Grand Junction District
• Glenwood Springs Resource Area
• July 17, 1976

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FUELS

• Primary fuel type was Gamble oak
• A severe frost on 14 June had killed a high
  percentage of the leaves

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WEATHER

• No weather observations were taken on the fire
• The closest weather station was Rifle, 12
  miles to the ENE
• At the time of the accident the weather in
  Rifle was 93 F, dew point 55 (RH 28), winds NE
  at 4

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FROM THE ACCIDENT REPORT

• At the time of the accident, the atmosphere was
  unstable, normal up-slope winds were occurring,
  winds aloft were generally light SW and ranged
  from 5-15 m.p.h. from 6,600 feet to 31,000 feet
  m.s.l.

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FROM THE ACCIDENT REPORT

• Observers on the fire at the time of the
  accident reported high winds at ground level
  25-35 m.p.h. and above.

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TOPOGRAPHY

• West Aspect
• Elevation 8550
• Slopes ranged from 10-75

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ORIGIN

• 11 July 1600 HRS, Fire reported
• Contained at ½ acre by Grand Valley VFD
• 12-14 July Fire monitored by Grand Valley VFD
• 15 July Fire escapes
• 16 July Fire has grown in size to over 500
  acres, B-26 air tanker crashes with one fatality

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FIRE PERIMETER, 17 JULY
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Project Rulison

• 1969
• An underground nuclear detonation
• A 43 kiloton bomb, 8,426 foot deep
• To investigate the possibility of using nuclear
  explosions to extract natural gas from low grade
  deposits
• Marginally successful in causing the gas to
  collect in the cavity and fissures produced by
  the bomb
• The gas was too radioactive to be sold
  commercially
• The site was threatened by the fire

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7/17 ASSIGNMENTS
lower
upper

• Happy Jack Hotshots were assigned to burnout
  the line starting from point A to point D

B-26 Accident x
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7/17 ASSIGNMENTS
lower
upper

• Happy Jack Hotshots were assigned to burnout
  the line starting from point A to point D

B-26 Accident x
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7/17 ASSIGNMENTS
lower

• Mormon Lake Hotshots were assigned to improve
  and burnout the line starting from point E to
  point G

upper
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7/17 ASSIGNMENTS
lower

• Mormon Lake Hotshots were assigned to improve
  and burnout the line starting from point E to
  point G

upper
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• Mormon Lake Hotshots

• Happy Jack Hotshots

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FROM THE ACCIDENT REPORT

• Apparently, neither crew knew of the specific
  location or assignment of the other.

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Mormon Lake Hotshots, 1976
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• Apparently, neither crew knew of the specific
  location or assignment of the other.

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