Hotshot struck, seriously hurt on Hells Canyon wildfire

A veteran “hotshot” firefighter was struck and seriously injured by a falling snag Sunday evening while helping battle a 2-week-old wildfire on the Oregon side of the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area, officials said Monday evening.

Richard (Wally) Ochoa Jr., 51, a member of the Winema Interagency Hotshot Crew, suffered a fractured skull, two broken arms, a broken jaw, a broken thumb and numerous cuts when he was struck by a snag while brushing fire line on the Freezeout Ridge Fire.

Fortunately, “no significant spine injury occurred,” the Monday evening announcement stated.

Winema IHC crew members and other nearby fire personnel began immediate first aid while others worked to clear an area for a helicopter to take Ochoa to a hospital in Boise. Officials said he was in stable condition in the intensive care unit late Monday, with family and several crew members on hand.

John Kidd, incident commander for the Freezeout Ridge Fire, credited those on scene for their swift actions and reliance on emergency response training and medical evacuation protocols.

“I, along with the members of my staff, am grateful for those who assisted Mr. Ochoa by providing timely and appropriate care,” Kidd said.”The coordination and professional actions of our firefighters, both on the ground and flying overhead, very likely reduced the potential magnitude of his injuries.”

“Firefighter safety and well-being is priority No. 1,” said Wallowa-Whitman Deputy Forest Supervisor Tom Montoya. A team of specialists has arrived on the incident to assist the Winema IHC as they deal with the impacts of the injury to their friend and coworker.

The Winema Hotshots are based on the Fremont-Winema National Forest in south-central Oregon. Forest Supervisor Connie Cummins, said, “Our thoughts and prayers are with Wally Ochoa and his family throughout his recovery. We will continue to provide support to Wally’s family, as well as to all employees affected.”

The serious injury from a falling snag on the fire lines echoed a fatal incident last year in Central Oregon, when the top of a large, burning Douglas fir fell and killed logger John Hammack.

The latest accident occurred on the northeast portion of the Freezeout Ridge Fire, which began Sept. 6. The fire began on the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest due east of Granite Mountain and spread east to the Nez Perce National Forest.

Though the accident occurred on the Nez Perce National Forest south of Dog Creek, the incident is being managed by the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest who oversees management of the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

As of Monday, the Freezeout Ridge Fire had burned about 3,500 acres. For more information on the fire please visit InciWeb at http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4102/.