On September 27, 1925, a fire on the east side of the Sierra Nevada threatened Carson City, and heroic efforts responding from farms and ranches throughout the region helped fire fighters knock down the flames, The next day, September 28, those flames were fanned by wind and the fire was pushed into Kings Canyon, burning in the Clear Creek drainage.
Winds pushed the fire into erratic runs up ridges and down canyons in the area of were US50 is now located. A group of five men were caught by the running fire, entrapping them as they attempted to take refuge in a rock rim above the road.
Three firefighters perished at the scene, while two others perished from burns in the hospital. The firefighters comprised a prison guard and two prisoners, a railroad worker, and a Toiyabe National Forest employee.
A memorial now resides on a pullout on US50 on the east side of Spooner Summit, and every September 28, the Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District pays tribute to the five men who died tragically as they tried to fight the fire. They were at the location again on Sunday, the 100th anniversary of the tragic fire and deaths.
The five who perished that day:
- Arthur Sunday – Forest Ranger
- Bryant Whitmore – Prison Guard
- Ross E. Morres – V & T Railroad Gandy Dancer
- J. E. Mitchell – Prisoner
- George Brown – Prisoner
“Their sacrifice is part of our shared legacy — a powerful reminder of the risks faced by those who answer the call to protect land and lives,” Tahoe Douglas Fire posted on social media Sunday.
According to a story run by the Reno Evening Gazette on September 29, 1925, both of the prisoners were set to be released in November of that year. After their deaths, then-Nevada Governor James Scrugham pardoned both men so they could be buried with religious rites.
Whitmore, according to a statement Scrugham, had reached safety when he turned to assist Arthur Sunday who was still entrapped.
