Wildland Firefighter Fatalities in the US, 1990-2006 (PMS 841)

Wildland Firefighter Fatalities in the US, 1990-2006

Wildland firefighting is a high-risk occupation, evidenced each year by deaths or injuries in the line of duty. One way to reduce wildland firefighter deaths is to identify factors responsible for past fatalities so we can mitigate those factors in future fire seasons.

The publication Wildland Firefighter Fatalities in the United States: 1990-2006 was completed in August 2007 by the Missoula Technology and Development Center (MTDC). The report is based upon the data contained in the annual “Safety Gram” prepared by the NWCG Safety and Health Working Team. This publication updates the previous report, Wildland Fire Fatalities in the United States: 1990-1998.

The publication reviews the causes of death of the 310 fatalities that occurred from 1990-2006. Burnovers were the leading cause of death during the initial period (1990-1998). During the most recent period (1999-2006), the leading causes of death were aircraft accidents, vehicle accidents, and heart attacks. For additional information, check out the entire report (PMS 841) at http://www.nwcg.gov/pms/pubs/pms841/pms841_all-72dpi.pdf .