Wildland Firefighter Deaths

Firefighters with the Lower Valley Fire Protection District hang an American flag along a procession route in honor of three firefighters killed while fighting the Snyder Fire in Grand Junction, Colo. Sunday, June 28, 2026.

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3 firefighters killed in Western wildfire were trying to shield themselves from flames

3 firefighters killed in Western wildfire were trying to shield themselves from flames

Federal officials say the three firefighters killed over the weekend in a Colorado wildfire were part of a specialized crew that goes into remote areas to quickly put out new fires. Two other crew members suffered burns. The crew was overcome Saturday after deploying emergency shelters to shield themselves from fast-moving fires. The U.S. Forest Service identified the firefighters killed in Colorado as 38-year-old Emily Barker of Clinton Township, Michigan; 27-year-old Nick Hutcherson of Glendale, Arizona; and 26-year-old Sydney Watson of Warrior, Alabama. Officials say firefighting resources are beginning to be strained as the risk of more wildfires worsens this week across the West.