Fire behavior associated with the 1994 South Canyon Fire on Storm King Mountain, Colorado

In the aftermath of the deaths of 14 firefighters during the South Canyon F ire in July 1994, fire scientists assessed what occurred and suggested guid elines that may help firefighters avert such a tragedy in the future. This report describes the fuel, weather, and topographical factors that caused t he transition from a relatively slow-spreading, low-intensity surface fire to a high-intensity, fast-spreading fire burning through the entire fuel co mplex, surface to crown. The analysis includes a detailed chronology of fir e and firefighter movements, changes in the environmental factors affecting the fire behavior, and crew travel rates and fire spread rates. Eight disc ussion points apply directly to firefighter safety.