Glacier Complex, Fire 96 Entrapment 1989

Fire 96, part of the Glacier Complex, started on July 26, 1989, from an early morning storm. At 0926 on July 26, a fire was reported by Indian Rock lookout in the head of Big Boulder Creek, on the Malheur National Forest. The crews and Division Supervisor arrived between 1100-1200. After being briefed, they started constructing a fireline along the west side of the fire anchoring at the top of the ridge and heading downhill in a southerly direction. Starting at around 1600, spot fires began to ignite and necessitated suppression action. With more spot fires igniting below one of the hand crews, the crew and the division supervisor made their way to an identified safety zone. The fire began to crown, and the firefighters in the safety zone found they needed to move to different areas within the safety zone to separate themselves from the intense heat. Eventually they deployed their fire shelters and then were directed to a larger safety zone. There were no injuries.