Three firefighters killed, two injured in Colorado-Utah border wildfires
Three firefighters died and two were wounded while responding to the Knowles and Gore fires near the Colorado-Utah border, as severe fire weather fuels a broader wildfire surge across the western United States.
Three firefighters were killed and two others injured Saturday while fighting the Knowles and Gore fires along the Colorado-Utah border, the U.S. Wildland Fire Service said. The firefighters were part of an interagency response coordinated by the newly formed agency, which aims to streamline fire suppression on public lands.
The service posted a statement on Facebook expressing condolences and noting the crew’s “bravery, dedication, and sacrifice.” It added that more details would be released when available.
The incident occurred amid a broader escalation of wildfire activity in the West, driven by consecutive days of hot, dry and windy conditions. In southwestern Utah, the Cottonwood Fire expanded to more than 144 square miles, destroying part of a ski resort and several summer cabins. State officials in Utah and Colorado declared emergencies and authorized National Guard assistance.
A spokesperson for the Utah fire effort, Alyssa Mason, said the rugged terrain hampers the deployment of heavy equipment, slowing firefighting operations. The region’s record-low snowpack and warmest winter on record have heightened fire risk, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.
Across the United States, roughly 3 million acres have burned this year, exceeding the ten-year average. Red-flag warnings have been issued for much of the West, and utility companies have implemented preemptive power shutoffs in several counties to reduce ignition risk.
