Incident Name: 7-day, 8000-acre La Jolla Fire or Palomar Mountain Fire, CA
Date: struck 10/3/1999; died 10/5/1999
Personnel: Gregory Pacheco, a member of the Panesco #5 Handcrew from Picuris Pueblo, NM
Age: 20
Agency/Organization: Bureau of Indian Affairs
Position: firefighter
Summary: On October 3, 1999, Gregory Pacheco — a member of the Panesco #5 Handcrew from Picuris Pueblo NM — was struck by a falling boulder as he constructed fireline in steep terrain on the La Jolla Fire on Palomar Mountain. He died on 10/5/99. A second member of his crew was also injured, but recovered.
Maps
Map of the 1999 La Jolla Fire on Palomar Mountain
Reports, Documentation, Lessons Learned
- News Release: Brief on Gregory Pacheco’s death (9K pdf)
- La Jolla Fire or Palomar Mountain Fire Page
Wildlandfire.com Links:
Media Articles and Reports
Photos, Videos, & Tributes
- USFA Memorial Database: Gregory Edwin Pacheco
- Gregory Pacheco Memorial Dedication Program, August 26, 2000
- Photo of Gregory Pacheco’s Memorial, credit to waymarking.com (gebscab)
The memorial reads:
In memory
of
Gregory Pacheco
Firefighter on the
Panesco Handcrew
who gave his life
on the
La Jolla Fire
October 5, 1999
It’s located on the
East Grade Road on Palomar Mountain overlooking the La Jolla Indian Reservation to the SW.
{mosmap lat=’33.298567’|lon=’-116.842383’|marker=’0’|text=’Gregory Pacheco Memorial Location’}
Also from waymarking.com:
The memorial, designed by Bob Hayward to represent the pueblo style and bearing a bronze plaque, resulted from the collective efforts of the La Jolla Reservation and its fire department, the Palomar Mountain Volunteer Fire Department and the U.S. Forest Service. The County of San Diego through the office of Supervisor Bill Horn provided financial support. Additional contributions came from the Palomar and La Jolla Reservation communities, as well as from fire departments throughout the area.
Contributors to this article: John Miller, Mellie, the Waymarking.com contributors.
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