In this episode:
This episode of the Firefighter After Action Review Podcast honored the two Los Angeles County wildland firefighters, Arthur Ruka and Christopher Herman, who died in the line of duty while battling the Glen Allen Fire on August 20, 1993. The hosts, Michael Preet and Tom Harbor, interviewed Assistant Chief Gayler of the LA County Fire Department and Fire Chief Robert Garcia of the Angeles National Forest. The discussion covered the history and close collaboration between the two agencies, a detailed recounting of the Glen Allen incident, and the challenges faced that day, including stretched resources due to other ongoing fires, severe communication breakdowns, and extremely difficult terrain. The interviewees emphasized the critical lessons learned from the tragedy, which led to significant improvements in inter-agency cooperation, unified command structures, communication protocols, and a cultural shift toward proactive risk management in the fire service.
On August 20, 1993, what began as a routine auto fire in the foothills of Altadena, California, quickly escalated into a devastating wildfire. Within minutes, the fire spread into a steep gorge, trapping crews and forever changing the lives of those on scene.
In this three-part series of the Firefighter After Action Review Podcast: Altadena, California revisits that tragic day when Firefighter Arthur Ruezga and Firefighter Christopher Herman made the ultimate sacrifice, and two others sustained serious injuries. Through a detailed recounting of events, we explore how quickly conditions can shift on the fireline and the life-and-death risks wildland firefighters face every time they respond.
More than just a story of loss, this series highlights the critical lessons learned and the many changes in fireground operations that followed. The Altadena tragedy remains a somber reminder of the dangers inherent in firefighting—and the importance of remembering the heroes who gave their lives in service.
It went from a run of the mill, nothing, no special incident. And within minutes, two firefighters were dead. Two firefighters were burned critically, and everybody who was on scene that day was scarred...
Remembering
I think of the relationship between the Angeles National Forest and Los Angeles County Fire Department should be a national standard. It should be something that that other organizations, whether it's local governments, how they operate with Forest service, and how the Forest Service operates with local governments, because we have really kind of erased that... congressional boundary.
