In the mid 1990's a story circulated America of a mystery surrounding the aftermath of a forest fire in California. Such fires are common during the hot dry summer months and usually are not the subject of conversation across the land, but one such fire held a puzzle that needed solving. Inspecting the aftermath of a small but raging blaze, fire marshals discovered the badly charred body of a man in his twenties dressed in full scuba diving gear including a recently melted wetsuit, flattened air tanks, facemask and flippers.

Given that the discovery was made a full 15 miles from the nearest coastline it was apparent the chap was not on his way to a dive centre when he died. Suspecting foul play a post mortem was held which revealed the man had not died from either drowning or burns, but from massive internal injuries. A full investigation began and, after dental records revealed his identity and his next of kin were informed, the mystery of the scuba diver in a smouldering forest began to unravel. On the day of the fire the deceased had been out diving in the Pacific Ocean and had already completed two successful dives when he entered the water for a third time. Meanwhile, 15 miles away, fire fighters battling to control a routine blaze, which was in danger of spreading to nearby homes, called in a fleet of helicopters to douse the area with water.