Watchdog Group Sues Over Names Of Fire Workers At Deadly 2003 Idaho Wildfire
BOISE, Idaho (AP) -- A watchdog group on Thursday sued the U.S. Forest Service, charging the agency has refused to identify employees directly involved in a 2003 central Idaho wildfire which killed two men.
Shane Heath, 22, of Melba and Jeff Allen, 24, of Salmon died July 22 after they were left in the path of the Cramer Fire in the Salmon-Challis National Forest.
The Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics on Tuesday sued the department in federal court in Missoula, Mont.
Executive Director Andy Stahl said that every time there was a fire death in the past, the government conducted an ``Accident Investigation Factual Report.''
``In all previous reports, the Forest Service named names and said who did what out on the fire, who broke safety rules and who the players were,'' Stahl said. ``The Cramer fire is the first time in its history that it whited out the names for all those employees.''
A number of the fire bosses involved have been identified by other means, but not everyone connected with the blaze.
Salmon-Challis officials said they had not seen the lawsuit and declined comment.
Allen and Heath were members of the Indianola Helitack Crew. They were dropped off on a ridge and were attempting to cut down trees to create a helicopter landing site when they were overcome by smoke and then flames.
A Forest Service report released last January said the two were not warned of the area's potential for extreme fire danger, they were confused about the availability of helicopters and other firefighting resources and they were working under inadequate leadership.
But the report was redacted to remove names and other identifying information about crew members directly involved. In May, Regional Forester Jack Troyer said the six faced disciplinary action.
The suit said the employees group filed for the names under the Freedom of Information Act, but the Forest Service is withholding them as ``personnel and medical files and similar files.''
Stahl said any actions the Forest Service might take against the employees involved is a matter of privacy.
``We're looking for the document that says who did what after the Cramer fire and that's not a personnel issue,'' he said.
Stahl said the January report was compiled in Missoula, so that was the location where the suit was filed.
Some key managers cited in the investigation were identified from other documents.
Investigators concluded that Cramer Fire incident commander Alan Hackett violated all 10 standard orders to ensure firefighters operate safely, including posting lookouts, identifying escape routes and paying attention to weather. Hackett still works for the Salmon/Challis forest in a non-fire related job.
Then-Forest Supervisor George Matejko and North Fork/Middle Fork District Ranger Patty Bates were cited for lack of oversight and direction of Hackett. Matejko is working in Washington, D.C., as an assistant to Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth. Bates is in the agency's state and private forest division in Montana.
