Incident Name: Klone Fire, part of the Wentachee River Complex near Entiat, WA; The Klone Fire was about 656 acres at the time and burning in timber stands, containing a lot of bug-killed trees.
Date: 9/17/2012
Personnel: Chris Seelye from Darby, MT.
Age: 61
Agency/Organization: a contracted U.S. Timber Cutters employee; US Forest Service
Position: firefighter, timber faller
Summary: Chris Seelye, a professional hazard tree faller and firefighter, worked to protect firefighters and fallers on the fireline. He was working on the Klone Fire, part of the Wentachee River Complex in the Entiat area on the afternoon of September 17, when he suffered a medical emergency. He was treated by incident medical personnel and transported to a nearby hospital where he died later that evening.
Chris with signature pipe, last month, mentoring on the northern California Goff Fire, Aug/2012
Photo credit: Fillmore
Klone Fire, WA: Big trees in steep terrain.
Photo credit: John Nelson, USFS, 9/15/2012
Maps
Klone Fire Location
{mosmap lat=’47.968253’|lon=’-120.579570’|marker=’0’|text=’Klone Fire Location’}
Reports, Documentation, Lessons Learned
- Forest Service (screen captures): Inciweb announcement : Okanogan-Wentachee NF announcement
- From a fellow firefighter:
In regards to the passing of Chris Seelye:
Everyone on Division A of the Goff Fire, Fort Complex, Klamath NF, August 2012, under So Cal Team 1 will remember Chris. Attached (and posted above) is a photo of Chris with his signature pipe; also attached is a photo of the jigsaw hazard trees that we were fighting while trying to hold onto Goff Creek. Note that our fireline is the trail in the middle of the photo running under these trees that came down.
Chris brought his lifetime of experience working in the woods to the crew members and other fallers working to keep the line clear. I didn’t see Chris running the saw much on the line. He explained to me that at this point in his life, he saw much more value in going up to the tree and instructing others in the proper way to handle messes like we had to deal with. Complex, large diameter messes. Repeatedly I saw him take less experienced fallers up and walk them through the process. I can’t tell you how much respect the man gained from those around him from doing this, and I watched them soak up the instruction. However, when Chris did run the saw, it was worth stopping for and watching.
By the end of the assignment I didn’t see Chris carrying anything other than his falling axe and PPE up and down the line. The falling bosses, EMT’s, and other fallers around him silently showed their respect for an old-timer by carrying his saw, wedge bag and dolmar. I’m proud to say I hauled his wedge bag out myself at the end of one shift. He didn’t ask for the help, he didn’t need the help. It was just unspoken.
I know that many of the folks on the division enjoying hearing stories about all the places in the states he cut timber, and especially about the old growth Humboldt redwoods he used to fall. “ The last big redwood I cut was in the ‘70’s” he said to me. Yeah, Chris was felling 16 foot diameter redwoods before most of us on the line that day were born. They don’t make guys like Chris anymore, take the time to talk to them when you see them. Godspeed and thanks for the good work.
– Fillmore (Division Alpha)
- Forest Service: Wenatchee Complex – Faller Fatality – Facilitated Learning Analysis (2,847 K pdf)
Wildlandfire.com Links:
- Hotlist: Information and Condolences
- Hotlist: Wentachee River Complex Fire thread
Media Articles and Reports
- Firefighter dies while combating wildfire near WenatcheeSept 18, 2012 | Online article
WENATCHEE, Wash. (AP) – A firefighter has died after falling ill while helping battle a blaze north of Wenatchee, officials said Tuesday, as crews struggled to contain dozens of wildfires throughout the state of Washington.The timber faller working north of Entiat became ill on the fire line Monday afternoon and was transported to a hospital. The man, Chris Seelye of Darby, Mont., died later that evening, authorities said… (More at the link.)
- Wenatchee Complex fire timber faller dies after becoming illSept 18, 2012 | Online article
A firefighter working the Wenatchee Complex fire died yesterday after becoming ill, incident commanders say. The man, who was working as a timber faller on the Wenatchee Complex in the Entiat area, became ill on the fire line Monday afternoon. He was treated by incident medical personnel and transported to a nearby hospital. He died Monday evening. At the request of the family, the man’s name is being withheld.
- Incident release a few hours later of the name of Chris Seelye the fallen timber faller from Darby, MontanaSept 18, 2012 | Inciweb announcement
- Darby timber faller dies on fire in WashingtonSept 19, 2012 | Online article
A 61-year-old firefighter and timber faller from Darby died Monday after becoming ill while working on a wildfire near Entiat, Wash. Chris Seelye was helping clear brush from a roadway when he told fire officials he wasn’t feeling well, said fire information officer Elizabeth Shepherd. He was initially treated by medical professionals on the scene before being taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital, where he died later that night. The cause of death was not available Wednesday. “I can tell you that he was hiking into an area about five miles each day,” Shepherd said. “He was doing what he loved.” The fire’s incident command team posted a message that said firefighters shared a moment of silence to remember their fallen comrade Wednesday morning.
Photos, Videos, & Tributes
- USFA Memorial Database: Chris Seelye
- Obituary: Christopher Joseph Seelye
- Okanogan-Wentachee National Forest: Mountain Lookout, 2013 Tribute, p5 (all 24 page pdf news – large – 8 MB)
Contributors to this article: R6 Tender, Dispatch, Sammie, Fillmore, John Nelson (photo credit), John Miller, Robin DeMario, PIO, and others from the Okanogan Wentachee National Forest
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Chris was a legend from the old school. I learned so much about cutting big timber from him in the short two weeks I worked with him on the Goff Fire. I am happy to have known him. God speed to a good man.
I want to thank everyone who has taken the time to post comments on my Dad. He was one of a kind, that for sure. He was always there for me, to give me advise, or give me the ribbing that I needed. Some of the memories that I treasure the most is cutting firewood with him in the summers. I was always in awe watching him fall those trees, he just knew and had the knack of knowing what that tree would do. He will live on in the experience that he passed along to the younger generation. From the sounds of it, he had a perfect last day, threaded the needle on a huge tree, landed it between a cabin and an outhouse. Dad truely loved being in the woods. Once my sister and I heal a little we will plan a celebration of life. He wouldn’t want people being sad, he would want BBQ and beer. So, thats what we will do. Again, I thank everyone who has taken the time to post on here. The memories are very helpful.