The September 2, 1998 Firestorm: Saving Lives Through Effective Communication

On the afternoon of September 2, 1998, a severe thunderstorm packing 70 mph winds approached firefighters battling a wildfire in the Orange County Mountains in southern California. Frequent status reports between the National Weather Service in San Diego and fireline supervisors on storm movement and intensity were critical in the decision to pull firefighters back to the safety zone.