The three federal firefighters who died when overtaken by flames while battling a rapidly growing wildfire in western Colorado were identified Monday by the U.S. Forest Service.
Forest Service officials identified the firefighters killed over the weekend as:
- Emily Barker, a 38-year-old from Clinton Township, Michigan, who was assigned to the U.S. Forest Service Rifle Helitack.
- Nick Hutcherson, a 27-year-old from Glendale, Arizona, who was assigned to the U.S. Forest Service’s Kaibab National Forest near the Grand Canyon.
- Sydney Watson, a 27-year-old from Warrior, Alabama, who was assigned to the U.S. Wildland Fire Service Rifle Helitack.
All three were working with the Rifle Helitack, an interagency firefighting crew based in Garfield County, to fight the Knowles fire in western Colorado when they were trapped in a “burnover,” according to federal officials.
A burnover is when a wildfire overtakes firefighters or their equipment, leaving them no time to escape. The five trapped firefighters deployed their fire shelters, but the wildfire killed Barker, Hutcherson and Watson and injured two others, U.S. Forest Service officials said.
Helitack crews use helicopters to insert firefighters into the field, especially in remote areas that are difficult to reach by car or that would take a long time to hike to, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.
The helicopter teams can also use buckets to drop water on the fire or deliver tools, equipment and supplies to firefighters on the ground, agency officials said.
Two wildfires burning in eastern Utah — the Jones and Snyder Mesa fires — merged Saturday and consumed the already-burning Knowles and Gore fires on Colorado’s Western Slope. As of Sunday, the four fires had scorched roughly 29,152 acres under the Snyder Mesa name and Colorado Gov. Jared Polis had issued a disaster declaration for the wildfire, according to the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
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“This is an incredibly difficult moment for the entire wildland fire community. Our heavy hearts are with the families during this unimaginable time,” Forest Service Deputy Chief Sarah Fisher said in a statement. “We recognize the tremendous impact this loss has on them and are deeply grateful for the devotion their loved ones brought to our organizations. We will honor their memory with compassion and support as their selfless service and commitment create an enduring legacy.”
A serious accident investigation team has been mobilized to review the circumstances surrounding the fatal incident, federal officials said.
All flags on state buildings will fly at half-staff on each of the three firefighters’ memorials, the dates of which have not been finalized, “to honor their sacrifice and service,” according to the Colorado governor’s office.
“Firefighters face incredible risk and put their lives on the line to respond to wildfires, keep Coloradans safe, and protect our communities,” Polis said in a statement. “I was devastated to hear that Emily Barker, Nick Hutcherson, and Sydney Watson made the ultimate sacrifice to protect us.”
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