Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center

On April 14, 2026, at 9:02 PM, a fire was reported in the Printer, KY area. The incident commander type 5 (IC) and the county fire crew were dispatched. IC found the fire's location but, because of the location, decided to return in daylight to construct containment lines. No structure was threatened by the fire.
The next day, the IC and crew returned to the scene and conducted an extended attack on an estimated 4-5 acres of burning timber. Around 3:30 PM on April 15, 2026, the dozer rollover occurred. The dozer was working off an old strip-mine
road, constructing a containment line. The dozer became high centered on a rock, which caused it to skid downhill. Once it was off the rock, the tracks on the dozer took hold, tipping it onto its side. The operator was able to exit the dozer with only minor injuries. Fuel began to leak from the dozer. The fire moved toward the dozer, and the dozer ended up engulfed in flames. The crew tried to put in a line around the dozer but was unsuccessful. The dozer is a total loss.
The dozer rollover occurred due to the unknown depth of the rock under the leaf/debris and soil during the construction of the containment lines.

Get the full report here: https://www.lessons.wildfire.gov/incident/gunstock-fire-heavy-equipment-incident-2026