Abstract: At approximately 4:15 a.m. on September 7, 1991, Employee #1, an inmate at Trinity River Conservation Camp, was part of a crew fighting a fire near Hayfork, CA. When a burning tree fell across the fire line through a canopy of hardwood trees, a limb from one of the trees struck Employee #1 in the head, causing serious head injuries. The investigation showed that the crew was well-trained and well-equipped. Employee #1 and the other crew members were wearing head protection. The fire location, including where the burning fir tree fell, had been evaluated by three different California Department of Forestry fire captains on separate occasions and found not to be an imminent hazard. No violations were found.