On Thursday, October 26, 2006, at 1:12 AM, a vegetation fire was reported near the streets of Esperanza and San Gorgonio in the southeast section of the unincorporated community of Cabazon. This arson-caused fire quickly grew to several hundreds of acres in the following hours overtaking and killing five US Forest Service firefighters while they were attempting to protect a single home. On that fateful day the fallen USFS San Bernardino National Forest Engine 57 (BDF E-57) crew members were: Fire Captain Mark Loutzenhiser Engineers Jason McKay and Jess McLean Firefighters Daniel Hoover-Najera and Pablo Cerda While the BDF E-57 crew was providing structure protection to a home on Gorgonio View Road in the Twin Pines community, flames quickly rushed up the hillsides burning over the crew. McKay, Hoover-Najera, and McLean succumbed to injuries at the scene of the burn over. Loutzenhiser and Cerda were rushed to the Arrowhead Region Hospital’s Burn Unit by air ambulance in critical condition due to serve burn injuries. Sadly, Captain Loutzenhiser passed away that afternoon. Pablo Cerda, who suffered burns over 90 percent of his body passed away in the burn unit, on Tuesday, October 31, 2006 just after 5:00 PM. · Five of our nation’s best and bravest fire personnel were killed. · 16 firefighters suffered minor injuries. · 40, 200 acres burned, with 34 homes and 20 outbuilding destroyed. · The communities of Twin Pines, Poppet Flats, and Wonder Views,   were evacuated, leaving nearly 400 residents displaced. · Two American Red Cross Evacuation Centers were set up in Hemet and Beaumont. · Highway 243 was temporarily closed due to the fire. · Over 2000 firefighters were dispatched to the fire. · The fire was fully contained at 6:00 PM on Tuesday, October 30, 2006. · Investigators arrested and charged arson suspect Raymond Lee Oyler, 37, of Beaumont.