Colorado-Utah fires cut off firefighter crew, kill three

Three wildland firefighters died over the weekend while battling the Knowles and Gore wildfires along the Colorado-Utah border, according to the Wildland Fire Service. While working in Colorado’s western Mesa County, their crew was caught in what’s known as a burnover incident. The fire spread so rapidly that it cut off all of the crew’s escape routes, according to the Interior Department.

The crew deployed emergency shelters, but three firefighters died in the inferno. Two members of the crew survived, but were hospitalized for burns, according to the Interior Department. A serious accident investigation team was looking into the incident, the department said.

The Knowles and Gore fires merged with others into the Snyder Fire, which covered 28,000 acres in Colorado and Utah as of Monday, according to Utah Fire Info. The blaze was 0% contained, according to the Watch Duty fire tracker. The fire was burning in federal wilderness areas, but officials issued pre-evacuation orders to nearby residents, telling them to prepare to leave if the fire spread.

Who were the deceased firefighters? 

• Emily Barker, 38, of Clinton Township, Mich. She was assigned to the U.S. Forest Service Rifle Helitack, according to the Interior Department.
• Nick Hutcherson, 27, of Glendale, Ariz., assigned to the U.S. Forest Service at the Kaibab National Forest.
• Sydney Watson, 27, of Warrior, Ala., assigned to the U.S. Wildland Fire Service Rifle Helitack.

The Colorado National Guard was ordered to help recover their remains, according to Colorado Gov. Jared Polis.

Dig deeper: Read Christina Grube’s report on a mistrial declared in the case of a man accused of starting the deadly Palisades fire in Los Angeles.