Three Firefighters Die Battling Huge Wildfires on Colorado-Utah Border

Three firefighters lost their lives and two were injured on Saturday as they battled massive wildfires along the Colorado-Utah border, officials reported. The firefighters were part of a federal response team assigned to the Knowles and Gore fires when they were suddenly overtaken by flames and attempted to take shelter, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior.

The two injured firefighters suffered burns and were taken to a hospital for treatment. "Our immediate focus is on supporting their families, friends, and fellow crewmates during this incredibly difficult time," the U.S. Wildland Fire Service said, without releasing the names of the deceased. The Knowles and Gore fires have since spread and merged with other fires to form the Snyder Mesa fire, which had burned approximately 28,000 acres by Saturday, according to Colorado Governor Jared Polis's office.

The deaths and injuries occurred during a "burnover incident," when a fire spreads so suddenly and rapidly that it overtakes personnel or equipment, cutting off escape routes and forcing trapped firefighters to deploy emergency shelter tents. All five firefighters were from two federal agencies: the U.S. Wildland Fire Service and the U.S. Forest Service. The Wildland Fire Service, part of the Interior Department, was established in January to streamline firefighting efforts across public lands.

Governor Polis declared a state of emergency for Colorado on Saturday, authorizing the state's National Guard to join response efforts. "I'm devastated about the loss of three heroic firefighters who died in the line of duty in Western Colorado," he said in a statement. In Utah, the largest of eleven active blazes is the Cottonwood Fire, which as of Sunday covered over 93,000 acres and was 0% contained, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Utah Governor Spencer Cox has also issued an emergency order banning fireworks ahead of the July 4 weekend.

The fires are mostly in sparsely populated areas but have threatened some resorts and cabins. Warmer winters and high winds have fueled recent fires across much of the western U.S. Scientists say climate change is making weather conditions that lead to wildfires, such as heat and drought, more likely, and predict wildfires will become more frequent and intense in the future.