Orleans Complex Learning Review narrative released
On July 18, 2025, while working on the Butler Fire as part of the Orleans Complex, a Region 5 Interagency Hotshot Crew was conducting direct attack uphill adjacent to the black when a fire‑weakened madrone tree fell into the crew. The crew boss spotted the falling tree and yelled a warning, allowing several firefighters to evade the tree, but one crew member sustained a direct strike and two…
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Emigrant Fire Learning Review narrative released
On Sept. 8, 2025, while working on the Emigrant Fire on the Willamette National Forest, a tree hit a member of an Interagency Hotshot Crew who was working as a felling boss with a contracted felling module. The snag—a 75-foot buckskin hung in the canopy of a live hemlock—released unpredictably during cutting operations, striking the individual in the head, neck and spine. A rapid and complex…
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Scientists, managers partner to reduce severe injuries to wildland firefighters
Federal wildland firefighters perform hazardous tasks in hazardous environments. (Forest Service photo by Kari Greer)
Even the best-trained and well-resourced firefighter can get seriously, or even fatally, injured while protecting lives and resources. Advancing our understanding about…
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What’s on their skin?
Inyo Hotshot protects communities around the Garnet Fire. Firefighters like this are routinely exposed to smoke, ash and dirt as part of their jobs. They sometimes go days or even weeks without showers. (Forest Service Photo by Sam Wu)
At the end of a long shift, black stains cover yellow…
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A season of milestones: National Helicopter Rappel Program
Rappellers descend from the Super Puma Type 1 Helicopter. The Super Puma is larger and can carry more firefighters and gear. (USDA Forest Service photo)
For firefighters who rappel down ropes from helicopters, this year brought historic achievements and a renewed sense of purpose. The USDA Forest Service’s…
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eSafety program now collects additional injury info
The eSafety program is changing to better serve firefighters, fire support personnel and leadership. The changes will enhance the understanding of fire and all-risk-related injuries by providing trends related to injuries and hazards. This will allow those in fire to better understand the risks encountered by employees engaged in…