CHILOQUIN, OR, May 5, 2024 — An emergency firefighting vehicle was struck by a tree while driving from the briefing area near Klamath Marsh to the fireline. All four passengers were evaluated by medical personnel, and none were injured. The vehicle received significant damage and was towed to Chiloquin.
The incident occurred shortly after morning briefing at 7:30 am, May 4, near the intersection of Silver Lake Road and Forest Road 7645. The tree, which had a rotten core, was knocked over by windy conditions, striking the vehicle as it was driving en-route to the Little Yamsay Fire.
According to Cory Thompson, Safety Officer for the South Central Oregon Fire Management Partnership Type 3 Incident Management Team, “We had a tree strike that could have been a lot worse. The employees are good, just a little shaken up.” Thompson also added, “It was a green tree and it was rotten in the middle. If you looked at [it], you probably could not identify it as a hazard tree.”
