BEAVER, Utah — Three firefighters were killed and two others injured while battling wildfires near the Colorado-Utah border, the U.S. Wildland Fire Service said Sunday.The firefighters were part of a multiagency response to the Knowles and Gore fires on Saturday, according to the agency, which was established earlier this year to coordinate wildfire suppression and prevention efforts on public lands.”The U.S. Wildland Fire Service stands united with the USDA Forest Service in grief and in our unwavering support for the loved ones left behind,” the agency said in a statement. “Their bravery, dedication, and sacrifice will never be forgotten.”The deaths came as wildfire activity intensified across the West, driven by prolonged hot, dry, and windy conditions.Utah’s largest wildfire, the Cottonwood Fire, expanded rapidly Saturday to more than 144 square miles (373 square kilometers), burning through rugged terrain in the state’s southwest and destroying part of a ski resort along with several summer cabins.Authorities in Beaver County were assessing the extent of the damage, while Governor Spencer Cox described the situation as “bleak” but praised firefighters for making “several miraculous stops and saves.”Steep canyons and mountainous terrain have complicated firefighting efforts, limiting access for bulldozers, fire engines, and other heavy equipment.Hundreds of firefighters have been deployed across Utah as crews battle multiple fires fueled by critically low humidity, high temperatures, and strong winds.Officials said this year’s wildfire season has been worsened by Utah’s record-low snowpack and warmest winter on record. Governor Cox declared a state of emergency earlier this week and authorized a statewide ban on fireworks ahead of the July Fourth holiday.Colorado Governor Jared Polis also declared a state of emergency on Saturday and activated the National Guard to assist with firefighting operations.According to the National Interagency Fire Center, nearly 3 million acres (1.2 million hectares) have burned across the United States so far this year, exceeding the 10-year average. Fire crews are currently battling dozens of large, uncontained wildfires stretching from Alaska to Florida.Power utilities in parts of Utah and northern Arizona have also implemented precautionary power shutoffs to reduce the risk of additional wildfire ignitions as dangerous weather conditions persist.BEAVER, Utah — Three firefighters were killed and two others injured while battling wildfires near the Colorado-Utah border, the U.S. Wildland Fire Service said Sunday.The firefighters were part of a multiagency response to the Knowles and Gore fires on Saturday, according to the agency, which was established earlier this year to coordinate wildfire suppression and prevention efforts on public lands.”The U.S. Wildland Fire Service stands united with the USDA Forest Service in grief and in our unwavering support for the loved ones left behind,” the agency said in a statement. “Their bravery, dedication, and sacrifice will never be forgotten.”The deaths came as wildfire activity intensified across the West, driven by prolonged hot, dry, and windy conditions.Utah’s largest wildfire, the Cottonwood Fire, expanded rapidly Saturday to more than 144 square miles (373 square kilometers), burning through rugged terrain in the state’s southwest and destroying part of a ski resort along with several summer cabins.Authorities in Beaver County were assessing the extent of the damage, while Governor Spencer Cox described the situation as “bleak” but praised firefighters for making “several miraculous stops and saves.”Steep canyons and mountainous terrain have complicated firefighting efforts, limiting access for bulldozers, fire engines, and other heavy equipment.Hundreds of firefighters have been deployed across Utah as crews battle multiple fires fueled by critically low humidity, high temperatures, and strong winds.Officials said this year’s wildfire season has been worsened by Utah’s record-low snowpack and warmest winter on record. Governor Cox declared a state of emergency earlier this week and authorized a statewide ban on fireworks ahead of the July Fourth holiday.Colorado Governor Jared Polis also declared a state of emergency on Saturday and activated the National Guard to assist with firefighting operations.According to the National Interagency Fire Center, nearly 3 million acres (1.2 million hectares) have burned across the United States so far this year, exceeding the 10-year average. Fire crews are currently battling dozens of large, uncontained wildfires stretching from Alaska to Florida.Power utilities in parts of Utah and northern Arizona have also implemented precautionary power shutoffs to reduce the risk of additional wildfire ignitions as dangerous weather conditions persist.
Three firefighters killed battling wildfires in western US
