State workplace regulators said Wednesday they are investigating the serious injury of a private wildland firefighter that took place during the Kincade Fire in Sonoma County on Sunday.
The unidentified firefighter was employed by the Ashland, Oregon-based firm Pacific Oasis, which runs fire hand crews and conducts fire training. He was operating a chainsaw on Sunday when the device's fuel cap came off, splashing the man's pants with fuel, which then ignited from a nearby spot fire, according to California's Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA).