U.S. Forest Service report: Station fire terrain too steep to fight safely

A U.S. Forest Service review has concluded that the Station fire in the San Gabriel Mountains raged out of control because it spread to terrain too steep for firefighters to safely confront the flames and not because of delays in ordering water-dropping aircraft and more crews.

The agency launched the inquiry after The Times reported that commanders had underestimated the threat posed by the blaze during its first day and reduced the number of helicopters and crews deployed for the following morning.

In a report released today, the Forest Service says commanders used “best professional practices” in trying to knock down the blaze when it was still small. The fire burned 250 square miles of the Angeles National Forest, killed two Los Angeles County firefighters and destroyed about 90 dwellings.

The Times also reported that helicopters did not arrive in force on the critical second day of the fire, Aug. 27, until several hours after first light and after ground crews started to attack the flames along Angeles Crest Highway.

In addition, the Forest Service had issued a memorandum three weeks before the blaze ordering managers to cut firefighting costs by minimizing their use of reinforcements from local and state agencies. Today’s report says costs played no role in the Forest Service’s decisions to use fewer reinforcements from Los Angeles County on Day 2 of the Station fire.

-- Paul Pringle

Comments

[flyinrevo]

When an agency's incompetence is responsible for the death of two Los Angeles County Firemen, of course they will determine that it is not their fault. The let it burn policy of the USFS is what lies at fault, not a steep mountain.

[yeah right]

what did you expect them to say ?

[Raul Garcia]

I'm glad to see some commonsense being reported by the L.A. Times, instead of trying to spin this story further by placing blame where there shouldn't be.

To question the power of nature and to imply humans had the ability to forestall her consequences can be nothing more than pure conjecture and will never be substantiated by scientific facts, even if arson was involved. This was a fuel driven fire which was in the making due to years of drought.

We all should be grateful it wasn't worse than it was.

[Reiu]

Let me understand this? A report by the U.S. Forest Service says the reason the Station fire was out of control is because of steep terrain and not delays in ordering water dropping helicopters? If you aggressively fought the fire with water dropping helicopters in the first place!

[Rachel]

Fire can be fought very effectively from the air without the need of ground support. So I find this "review" to be a cop out to save face. The Forest Service manages the forest, no area needs to be inaccessible. If they would spend a little money to make fire roads and trails instead of spending tens of millions of dollars for very short term fire suppression, we would all be ahead and without a need to put out these cheesy explainations. 1000 square miles of forest, 250 square miles burned and only 2 square miles of access roads. The is inexcusable management.

[Olddog]

This report is, frankly, hogwash. It's like the fox investigating the henhouse. They were not after facts, they were looking for a way to rationalize incompetence and cost avidance. This is typical of the business pratices of the USFS. Dont't admit that mistakes were nade, just CYA.

[CMS]

Yes, let's riddle the Forest with fire roads, because the purpose of a National Forest is solely to prevent things from catching on fire. In fact, why don't we just pave over the whole thing? That way, we won't have to worry about fires at all, and commute times to the Antelope Valley will be much shorter!

[dave54]

Aircraft alone has never stopped a fire, and never will. It takes ground troops to stop a fire. Aircraft only slow the spread temporarily to allow ground firefighters to move in and do the final firefighting.

I spent 32 years as a firefighter, ground and aerial.

[Chilao HS]

The Angeles is known for having very steep terrain. If the crews can't scrabble up while cutting line and dragging hose then you back off and fight the fire with indirect firelines. That's where the air support makes the difference. It slows the fire long enough for bulldozers to cut line out ahead of the fire. There are innumerable fuel breaks and dirt roads north west of the point of origin. Why these weren't utilized is anyone's guess.

[FireRx]

Yes I was there on the third day of the fire fight, after seeing the start of the Station Fire from the Morris fire just east in the Glendora area. If aircaft was used more agressivly the first day. and the LACO fire crews left to fire the fire istead of being pulled off after 8hrs., this fire would of never gotten the size it did. No amount of explanation will change the that piss- poor management caused this. As well as the results fro the Cedar Fire in 2003. It's about time the public see how the USFS operates. The Cedar Fire fiasco was blamed on the wrong fire agency. I say karma finally came to pass here. Bout friggin time.

[Jane]

Back on the 27th of August, USFS fuels officer Scott Lowden commented about the Station Fire saying, 'There will probably be a couple days of mop-up.' (Valley Sun). That doesn't sound like the USFS was struggling with terrain, only that they erred.

I relaxed after reading that, but I'm not now.

The USFS is still relaxing.