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National Fallen Firefighters Foundation

Roll of Honor

Age: 33
Year of Death: 1990

Alex S. Contreras

On the afternoon of June 26‚ 1990 the Perryville Inmate Crew was working to secure a dozer line on the Dude Fire on the Tonto National Forest near the Bonita Creek Subdivision. High temperatures‚ low humidity‚ dry fuels and strong down bursts from local thunderstorms caused extreme fire behavior and escape routes were compromised. The Perryville Crew was overrun and 11 crew members deployed shelters. Zig Zag Hotshot Superintendent Paul Gleason had come back up the canyon after evacuating the area the warn the crew‚ found several members burned and called for medical assistance. The events of that day led him to develop LCES‚ which is now a core principal in Firefighter safety and tactics. It was also after this fire that Dick Rothermel coined the term Plume Dominated Fire Behavior. The lessons learned from this fire have had a profound impact on the study of wildland fires and firefighter safety.

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  1. Alex you are still deeply missed and and loved. Your sacrifice will always be remembered.

    – Monica Oberriter
  2. Thank you for your last selfless act in protecting strangers lives and homes while sacrificing your life. You are forever loved and missed every day. Till me meet again. I love you…

    – Yvette Wells
  3. Alex, my friend. I know you are with the lord. I am so proud of you and how you changed your life. So sorry it ended in this manner. I will never forget you. You will always be in my heart. Thank you for your service in this horrible fire. Love you. Hilda

    – HILDA