After completing his training at the Crafton Hills College Fire Academy, Kenneth applied for a position with the California Division of Forestry in Riverside County. In his eighth month of employment, he was dispatched to a wildland fire in the Mendocino National Forest. located in Northern California. On the day of his assignment, it was his 20th birthday. Kenneth’s oldest sister Katherine had baked him a birthday cake and drove to the fire station to present the cake to him. She had no idea he was preparing to leave on the strike team assignment. Upon her arrival, firefighters were busy getting their equipment loaded into the truck. When she approached Kenneth with the cake, all the firefighters gathered around. With the insistence of the entire team, the cake was loaded into the truck and consumed as they traveled north. Upon arrival at the staging area, Kenneth’s team was assigned to the Recer fire. As the team was advancing an attack line up a steep ridge, a large oak tree on top of the ridge came down, striking Kenneth. He died of his injuries the next day. At the time of his death, he left behind 1-year-old son Aaron. Aaron is now a Registered Nurse, working in the emergency room at an Anaheim California hospital. Aaron has two sons Ethan and Emmett. Kenneth is mourned by his son Aaron, Ethan, Emmett, Aaron’s mother (Jill), Kenneth’s mother (Valerie), Father (Mel), two sisters (Katherine) and (Karen). Katherine’s son Matthew, daughter Nicole, Karen’s husband Michael, daughter Olivia, and son Michael. It is often said “time heals all wounds”. Not true. Time only teaches you how to cope with such a loss.
Kenneth Earl Enslow was fighting a wildland fire in the Mendocino National Forest located in Northern California. Kenneth was part of a strike team out of Southern California. He was dispatched on the call on his 20th birthday, (August 10, 1990) three days later a large oak tree on a ridge line above him fell, striking him. He died the next day at the hospital. Kenneth was the father of a one year old son (Aaron) at the time of his passing. Kenneth’s mother (Valerie) father (Mel) and sister’s Katherine and Karen continue to mourn Kenneth’s passing. As of this writing, Aaron is now a registered nurse working in the emergency room in Anaheim California.
– Mel Enslow