Storm King Mountain 14 - Glenwood Springs, CO - Firefighter Memorials on Waymarking.com

This monument in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, is to honor the 14 firefighters who were caught in a firestorm fighting the Storm King Mountain fire just west of Glenwood. The monument includes an inspired statue of firefighters, a photograph and biography of each firefighter who lost his/her life, and an explanation of the events that caused their demise. Glenwood Springs is also a sister city with Prineville, OR, where the Hot Shots are based. A public hiking trail is a few miles west of Glenwood where one may hike into the Storm King Mountain area and see where the firefighters lost their lives.

"Wildfires burned millions of acres in 1994 (Russo and Williams 1995). A lightning strike to a ridge ignited one of those fires on July 2, 1994. This fire, named the South Canyon Fire, occurred approximately 7 miles west of Glenwood Springs, CO (fig. 1).

For the next 3 days the South Canyon Fire burned down the slopes in the litter, debris, and grass covering the ground with occasional short duration upslope runs and torching of individual or small groups of shrubs and trees. By late morning on July 6 the fire covered approximately 127 acres. At about 1520 (all times are mountain daylight saving time given in 24 hour format) a dry cold front passed over the area. At about 1600 and for the next 4 hours the fire burned generally north and east through the shrub and tree canopies as a fast moving wind-driven front. It exhibited dramatically greater rates of spread, flame heights, and energy release rates than at any time since its ignition.

The South Canyon Fire eventually burned 2,115 acres and was declared controlled on July 11, 1994. This fire will not be remembered for the acreage burned, but for the lives lost. On the afternoon of July 6, 1994, fire entrapped and killed 14 firefighters, making the South Canyon Fire one of the most tragic wildland fires to occur in the United States this century.

Immediately following the accident an interagency team was formed to conduct an official investigation into the causes of the fatalities. The “Report of the South Canyon Fire Accident Investigation Team” (USDA, USDI, and USDC 1994), hereafter referred to as South Canyon Report, was released in August 1994. A followup report, titled the “Report of the Interagency Management Review Team (South Canyon Fire)” was released in October 1994 (IMRT 1994). This second report presented a corrective action plan for improved firefighter safety based on findings from the first report. A final report titled “Final Report of the Interagency Management Review Team” was issued in June 1995 (IMRT 1995). This report summarized accomplishments since release of the corrective action plan and made further recommendations for improved firefighter safety. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration also investigated the incident and presented a report (OSHA 1995)." (excerpted from (visit link) - go here to read the full report)

Also see (visit link) .

Physical address: Two Rivers Park Glenwood Springs, CO USA 81601 Memorial Website: Not listed

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