 This video is intended to quickly communicate key lessons to young entry-level firefighters. On April 6, 1999, 10 firefighters were dispatched to the Island Fort Fire. Located in northeastern Kentucky, the fire was burning primarily in hardwood leaf litter on rolling terrain. The goal of this video is to communicate lessons learned from the Island Fort Fire tragedy, enabling firefighters to recognize a similar situation and when they are in danger. The situation. Relative humidity, 25%. Winds west at 14 miles per hour and gusty, brown leaf litter covering the ground. Topography, classified as a chimney or chute, open to the west. 1630. The fire line was anchored at the paved road and seven firefighters began working to extend the fire line in an easterly direction. 1650. Seven crew members are constructing the fire line with a leaf blower and rake following an old jeep trail near the bottom of the drainage. 1715. They progress around 200 yards when small spot fires begin to occur on the north side of the drainage near the anchor point to the west. Five firefighters double back to control the spot fires. As the firefighters attack the spot fires, the remaining two firefighters, Kevin and Kenneth, continue building fire line, moving easterly up the hollow. Their fire line begins to move indirectly from the fire's edge, staying instead on the jeep trail which is running parallel but diverging from the fire perimeter. When the firefighters begin to build the fire line away from the black, they fail to assess their escape routes and safety zones. This creates a situation where their only remaining escape option is up the drainage. 1717. Wind speeds increase dramatically, with gusts up to 35 miles per hour. A rapid increase in fire behavior occurs at the spot fires, separating the five firefighters from Kevin and Kenneth. The light fuels produce a wall of flames 20 feet high. All firefighters are ordered off the fire line due to the increase in wind and fire activity. The two stranded firefighters radio they are heading out but do not realize their escape route has been compromised. 1725. The two firefighters radio they have been cut off and try and escape by running uphill towards the ridge top, followed by the fire moving up the drainage at a rapid rate of spread. There is no way for them to outrun the fire. They run to within 300 feet of the ridge top and radio they are in trouble and are trying to run downhill into the black. They are unable to make it safely back to the black. Lessons to be learned. In light flashy fuels, changes in fire behavior happen very quickly, measured in seconds. To be safe, firefighters must stay with the black or bring the black with them by burning out as they build the fire line. In this tragedy, when the spot fires occurred and were not contained, the escape route was compromised before the firefighters could reverse direction and reach safety. Two foot tall flames became 35 foot tall flames in seconds. Never allow yourself to feel safe building indirect fire lines in light flashy fuels. Even with minimal flame length, it can change too quickly. In these situations you must have a safety zone very close at hand and the burned area is usually best.