Stand 2 - The Ponderosa Pine
When the first firefighters arrived, the fire was about an acre and a half in size and was centered in this general location. The fire was spreading slowly uphill against the wind and moderately in all other directions. If there was a head of the fire, it would be along the north side spreading toward the confluence of Cart and Spruce Creeks. Hatch took two firefighters with him and walked partway up the slope to a point near the origin of the fire, and began building a fireline along the edge of the fire uphill to the west. One helitack crewmember was left at H-1 to receive personnel and Helitack Foreman Black set up a helibase at Cedar Springs Lagoon.
Tom Plasky and Dave Strantz were placed on the fire at 1300 and joined Hatch's squad. The strategy at this point was to build a line along the south east flank of the fire uphill and then swing northwest to cut it off before it reached the ridge top. As the flame lengths were ½ to 1 ½ foot high, the squad worked a direct line with one foot in the black. The helicopter returned to Dutch John Airport for a load of tools and water. In the meantime, the fire had burned downhill far enough that the original landing area (helispot) had to be moved east. This new landing area is referred to as H-2. The exact location of H-1 and H-2 is not known, but must have been between Stand 2 and Spruce Creek. The tools and water were dropped at H-2.
Barry Sheakley and John Uphoff arrived over the fire at 1340 and Sheakley requested a recon of the fire so he could assess the situation. Recognizing the desirability of heading off the fire at the ridge top, Sheakley had the pilot place Uphoff and himself on the ridge above the point where Hatch and his squad were building line. Sheakley established voice contact with Hatch and they discussed the situation. Sheakley and Uphoff began to build a separate indirect and unanchored section line along the ridge line to the west. Hatch sent Plasky and Strantz up to assist Sheakley in building this line. Karen Coleman, Yolanda Jenkins, and Dwight Hodgkinson were delivered to H-2 at 1350. These three firefighters left H-2 and began walking uphill to join Hatch's squad.
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