Incident Name: Mariposa County brush fire
Date: 8/19/1931
Personnel: 3 lives lost
Age:
Agency/Organization: US Forest Service
Position: firefighters
Summary:
Arnold Love, 26, from Mt. Bullion
Frank Smith, 22, from Mormon Bar
James Worley 18, from near Boot Jack
On August 19, 1931, the three young firefighters — Love, Smith and Worley — were part of a fire crew digging line and fighting fire in brush with a small amount of timber in Mariposa County, when they were entrapped and overrun. All three perished.
Maps
Reports, Documentation, Lessons Learned
- THREE DEAD IN MARIPOSA CO BRUSH FIRESan Mateo Times, August 20, 1931
MARIPOSA-Aug 20- A crew of fire fighters today was toiling over a rough mountain trail above here, bearing homeward the the bodies of three companions burned to death while fighting a brush fire late yesterday.
The bodies were those of Arnold Love, 26, Mt. Bullion; Frank Smith, 22, Mormon Bar, and James Worley 18, of near Boot Jack. All were Mariposa county men and experienced in fighting mountain fires. Love was married and the father of two children.
Although the fire they were helping to fight was spread over a large area, it was only in brush and a small amount of timber, and was not considered dangerous. National Forest Service authorities and companions of the unfortunate youths were at a loss to explain the tragedy. (transcribed by c feroben for the webpage Fires of Mariposa County)
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Wildlandfire.com Links:
Media Articles and Reports
Photos, Videos, & Tributes
- California Firefighters Memorial in Sacramento / CA LODDs by Wall Order: Arnold Love | Frank Smith | James Worley
- US Forest Service Fire Heroes Memorial: Arnold Love | Frank Smith | James Worley
Contributors to this article: John Miller
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