Community Chatter - Kates Basin Fire Anniversary

August 11, 2020 came this week. August 11 is a very important day in Hot Springs County history. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the day when the Kates Basin Fire blew up. That day two other things happened that we must never forget.

The summer of 2000 was a big wildfire season. Crews were stretched thin trying to keep pressure on 60 big fires that were raging in the west.

On July 30, the Thermopolis Fire Department was involved with federal crews brought in from around the country tackling a wind driven fire up on Enos Creek, west of town. A four-engine Oklahoma strike team was assigned to Enos Creek. On the team was Oklahoma State Forestry engine #2, manned by Jim Burnett and Presley Byington.

Then, on August 5, two lightning strike fires started up on the Wind River Reservation on the border with Hot Springs County. One was named the Blondie Fire #2 and the other, the Kates Basin Fire. Eventually, when the two ran together, they became known as the Kates Basin Complex.

On August 10 Oklahoma Forestry engines #2 and #10 were ordered from Enos Creek to support efforts on the Kates Basin Fire. They were assigned to an area known as Mexican Pass for suppression duties. At about 9:30 p.m. Burnett and Byington bedded down next to their engine near their water source tank.

On August 11, after a briefing by the Incident Commander, Oklahoma Engine #2 met with Thermopolis Type 4 Engine #7 and a quick attack engine, each with two man crews. After a brief tactical meeting Engine #2, with Burnett and Byington inside, headed up the pass to check a dozer line to assess if it was holding the fire.

Burnett realized they would not be able to hold the fire and chose to turn around.

It was at this moment on August 11, 2000 that a life was lost and other lives changed forever. This is the moment I hope people in Hot Springs County will never forget and take a moment each year to memorialize.

Winds had increased to 40-45 mph and flame lengths were 25-30 feet in the air. Passenger Burnett moved out of the cab hoping to start a pump and protect the engine and crew.

The pump started, but quit after a few seconds. Burnett was forced off the engine by flames. After instructing Byington to back the engine in a retreat to the east, Burnett began heading for a safe area on foot.

Meanwhile, the truck stalled, leaving Byington trapped. He attempted to open the passenger door, but the wind held it shut.

Tragically, after retreating about 900 feet, Burnett was overtaken and killed by the fire. Byington remained in the engine.

From some distance away, the two Thermopolis crews saw that Engine #2 was in the midst of a fire storm. Loading onto Engine #7 with hoses deployed they drove through the conflagration until reaching Engine #2, where they suppressed the fire next to the engine and retrieved Byington, putting him in their engine. After extinguishing a fire on their own engine they retreated out of the fire.

On August 11 Jim Burnett, a grandfather from Hatfield, Arkansas, foreman of Oklahoma Forestry Engine #2 died fighting a fire in Hot Springs County. Late that night, while the Perseids Meteor Shower lit the sky overhead, his body was taken off the mountain by a recovery team from Hot Springs County.

His partner, Presley Byington would likely have died as well, except, in that terrifying moment, four incredibly brave Thermopolis Fire Department Volunteer Firefighters made a decision to drive into hell and save him. Afterwards, they asked that their names not be revealed.

Kates Basin Fire, 137,600 acres, Jim Burnett, Presley Byington, four TVFD heroes, August 11, 2000. Lest we forget.