Skip to main content

Point Fire (Idaho) – July 28, 1995

This Day in History is a brief summary of a powerful learning opportunity and is not intended to second guess or be judgmental of decisions and actions. Put yourself in the following situation as if you do not know the outcome. What are the conditions? What are you thinking? What are YOU doing?

Incident Summary:

On July 28, 1995, dry thunderstorms moved into southwestern Idaho and sparked dozens of wildfires. At 1829, a fire was reported about 16 miles southwest of Boise. BLM and Kuna Rural Fire District (RFD) resources were dispatched to the fire. As they arrived on scene, the fire was 60 to 65 acres, actively burning in mature sagebrush and dense cheatgrass with moderate rates of spread. West winds 4 to 6 mph fanned 3- to 5-foot flame lengths along the flanks. The IC (BLM) instructed the BLM engines to split up and directly attack the flanks with Kuna engines 620 and 622 following behind them. Kuna Command instructed the two Kuna engines to stay together and follow the BLM engines to compensate for less experienced firefighters occupying engine 620. By 2010, it is reported that engines on both flanks had met and the spread of the fire had been stopped at 120 acres.

At 2022, the National Weather Service issued a Red Flag warning for dry lightning and locally strong winds, predicting gusts of up to 50 mph from a thunderstorm moving toward the fire. Engines along the northern perimeter of the fire are alerted via BLM Dispatch on a BLM radio channel.

Kuna engines 620 and 622 continued to mop-up along the northern flank, passing multiple federal fire resources and ending at a fence on the southeast corner of the fireline where they were given instructions to turn around and work back around the perimeter. The two worked in tandem until Kuna 622 ran out of water. Kuna 620 took the lead and continued using its remaining water. Using the radio in a nearby BLM engine, Kuna 622 contacted the IC who instructed them refill and standby due to the predicted high winds.

While Kuna 622 was en route to refill, Kuna 620 contacted them with a report that their vehicle was overheating. They are instructed to clean the radiator screen. Soon after, and for unknown reasons, Kuna 620 turned north on a two-track road then north-northeast, driving cross-country through unburned heavy sagebrush. At this point, Kuna 620 became disabled.

At about 2046, the fire escaped the northern perimeter at several locations, fanned by strong south winds from the thunderstorm. Several fire personnel immediately drove north to assess fire behavior. They saw that the fire was burning intensely with flame lengths over 20 feet and an estimated rate of spread of 560 feet/minute. They see a stationary engine in the path of the oncoming flame front and made repeated attempts to contact the engine on the BLM tactical channel but received no response. They did not know whether the engine was occupied.

At 2049, Kuna 620 contacts the Kuna Commander on a local non-federal frequency and reported, “We are on the north line. We have fire coming hard, and this thing has died.” The Kuna 620 engine crew made another a radio transmission one minute later, “The truck’s been overtaken by fire!” That was their last transmission. Two firefighters lost their lives. It took 4 minutes from the point of escape for the fire to overrun the disabled engine.


Discussion Points:

L - How do you establish and maintain lookouts during initial attack?

  • If terrain is relatively flat, can we be lookouts for other crews nearby? If so, how?

C - The BLM IC could not monitor Kuna Command because the frequency was not programmed into his radio. Some Kuna crews could utilize the BLM frequencies while others could not. Kuna Command did not always have capability for radio communications with all units. And Kuna RFD Engines 620 and 622 had communication capabilities with both BLM and Kuna Command but could not communicate with Kuna Command once they switched to the BLM frequency.

  • During initial attack, how do you establish and maintain effective communications with other agencies and cooperators?
  • As an IC, how do you ensure Red Flag warnings and other vital information is received by all fire resources?
  • What will you and your crew do during any fire assignment to get accurate information about weather and current fire behavior?

E and S - Sometimes it is necessary to travel through the unburned fuel while accessing the fire, burning out, or shuttling water.

  • What are your concerns?
  • How do you maintain Escape Routes and Safety Zones:
    • As you move down the fireline?
    • When en route to refill?
  • How much water do you keep as reserve in the tank?

 

 

6MFS Suggestion Form


Have an idea or feedback?

Share it with the NWCG 6MFS Subcommittee
 


Follow NWCG on X and Facebook
 


 

Last Modified / Reviewed:

NWCG Latest Announcements

ETC Equipment Bulletin: 25-003 Flame-Resistant Shirt Survey

Date: June 12, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
Equipment Technology Committee

The U.S. Forest Service National Technology and Development Program (NTDP) is seeking input on the Forest Service-designed flame-resistant (FR) shirt, currently available through the National Interagency Support Cache system and FedMall.

NTDP is conducting a product review to improve future FR shirt designs. As part of this effort, a short survey is now open for federal employees who have worn any of three recent FR shirt models. Feedback will guide design improvements to better meet the needs of wildland firefighters.

To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act, responses are limited to federal employees. The survey is open through September 12, 2025. 

References:

NWCG Alerts

ETC Equipment Bulletin: 25-003

NEW! S-130, Firefighter Training (Blended) Now Available

Date: June 10, 2025
If you have questions, please visit our FAQ page. 
If your question is not answered there, you can 
submit your question using our Contact Us form. 
 

The S-130, Firefighter Training (Blended), equips new wildland firefighters with essential skills through a mix of online learning and hands-on training. The course features a required online component and an instructor-led exercise, reinforcing online concepts with practical performance-based training.

The course builds competencies in wildland fire operations, safety, and equipment use, applicable across various operational environments. Both the online component and instructor-led field exercise must be completed to receive a certificate of completion. Students are required to finish the prerequisite S-190, Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior, before enrolling in S-130, Firefighter Training (Blended).

References:

S-130, Firefighter Training (Blended)

S-190, Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior

Wildland Fire Learning Portal

EMC Memo 25-001: Interim Rapid Extraction Module (REMS) Training and Qualification Requirements

Date: June 3, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
Emergency Medical Committee

The Emergency Medical Committee has issued interim guidance for Rapid Extraction Module Support (REMS) teams. Until further notice, Type I and II REMS teams must designate a team leader qualified at Firefighter Type 1 Squad Boss (FFT1) or higher. This temporary change replaces the Single Resource Boss (SRB) requirement, which is currently not feasible due to administrative barriers.

This memorandum does not include any other changes to the NWCG Standards for Rapid Extraction Module Support, PMS 552. This interim change takes effect immediately and will remain in place until further notice.

References:

EMC Memo 25-001: Interim Rapid Extraction Module (REMS) Training and Qualification Requirements

NWCG Standards for Rapid Extraction Module Support, PMS 552

Equipment Bulletin 25-002: Chaps, Chain Saw, M-2020, Nonconformities Affecting Use, Appearance, and Serviceability

Date: June 2, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
Equipment Technology Committee

The Equipment Technology Committee issued Equipment Bulletin: 25-002 to address a manufacturing nonconformity affecting Forest Service specification, 6170-4K Chain Saw Chaps. The issue applies to chaps manufactured in 2024 and 2025 and distributed through FedMall. These chaps may have incorrectly bound edges that expose inner protective layers.

Independent purchasers should inspect all chain saw chaps received from FedMall beginning in 2024, prior to use. Review the full Equipment Bulletin: 25-002 for inspection criteria and recommended actions.

References:

NWCG Alerts

ETC Equipment Bulletin: 25-002