Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

(View of the Mann Gulch fire from the plane)

We talk a lot about the importance of crew cohesion within the Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program. Teams must be cohesive. But what happens to the team when chaos wrecks havoc within the fire environment? Do we follow our individual instinct or do we defer to others with more knowledge and experience?

An Example from Mann Gulch

Lightning started many fires on the Helena National Forest on August 4, 1949, including one near the top of a ridge between Meriwether and Mann Gulches. At 12:55 p.m. August 5th, the fire was observed at six acres. At 1:30 the call went out for smokejumpers from the Missoula jumpbase. By the time the jump plane flew over at 3 p.m., the fire was 60 acres. The crew jumped and are scattered by a nearby thunder cell.

The crew gathers at the bottom of the gulch up-canyon of the fire. Jumper foreman goes to scout the fire and meets up with a fire guard working alone near the head of the fire. Observing increased fire activity, the decision is made to start from the toe. While hiking to the toe, the foreman noted that there was fire below them in the gulch; and that it had crossed to the other side of the canyon blocking their ability to escape to the river. They reversed direction and headed up toward the NW ridge. The fire is 500 feet behind them crowning in timber and doghair thickets.

The foreman knows that they will not outrun the fire and starts to burn off some grass for a “refuge.” He gives the order for his crew to come into the black with him. The foreman stayed in his black and survived the fire passing over. It is not clear how many of the crew heard the orders over the roar of the fire or understood what the foreman was trying to do (burning out was neither taught nor common practice at this time). The crew continued running up the steep slope for the ridge. Two made it to safety in rocks at the top. 5:56 p.m. marks the time on one firefighter’s watch stopped when the15 Missoula Smokejumpers and one Meriwether Fire Guard were burned over. Only five would survive the blow-up. Two would die from their burns the next day. (adapted from 6 Minutes for Safety - This Day in History)

(Mann Gulch fire victims)

Whom Will You Follow?

Safety, by comparison, is a “disjunctive” task, in which the party’s most expert member is responsible for success. When survival is at stake, choosing the best route and knowing when to turn back require deference to an experienced leader, not negotiation among group members. ("What Climbing Tells Us About Teamwork" by Dylan Walsh)

Imagine yourself on the Mann Gulch fire. Wag asked his team to do something outside the ordinary. No one followed him. Thirteen firefighters died. 

Imagine yourself on South Canyon fire. Fourteen firefighters died.

Imagine yourself on Yarnell Hill fire. Nineteen firefighters died.

We can only theorize about what happened those fateful days in our history. Where do we put our efforts? As a student of fire, we owe it to each of those lost to learn from their deaths. Will you follow the leader or will you opt for an individual decision.

Wildland Fire Leadership Challenge - Digging a Little Deeper

• Read and discuss with your team "What Climbing Tells Us About Teamwork" by Dylan Walsh

Summiting is a “conjunctive” task — that is, it requires cooperation and its success is determined by the weakest link. Groups must jointly decide whether to proceed to the peak.

Safety, by comparison, is a “disjunctive” task, in which the party’s most expert member is responsible for success. When survival is at stake, choosing the best route and knowing when to turn back require deference to an experienced leader, not negotiation among group members.

• Discuss the conjunctive task of the team in suppressing a wildfire with the leader's disjunctive task of ensuring mission success and safety. 
• How might team cohesion affect decision making during a significant event?
• Consider the information presented in the article. How does this compare with what you know about fatality fires?
• Does your team have a good balance of collectivism and individualism?
• What can you learn and apply from the information found in the article?

• Read or review the Mann Gulch story in Norman Maclean's book Young Men and Fire.

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Pam McDonald is a writer/editor for BLM Wildland Fire Training and Workforce Development and member of the NWCG Leadership Subcommittee. The expressions are those of the author.