Three firefighters were killed and two others were injured while responding to wildfires along the Colorado-Utah border, the US Wildland Fire Service announced on Sunday. The agency, established in January to coordinate wildfire suppression and prevention across public lands, said the firefighters were involved in a joint response to the Knowles and Gore fires on Saturday.
Firefighter casualties and response
“The US 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 on Facebook. “Their bravery, dedication, and sacrifice will never be forgotten.” The incident occurred as wildfire activity increased across the western US after several days of hot, dry, and windy weather fueled blazes in Utah, Arizona, and other regions.
Cottonwood fire expands rapidly
In Utah, hundreds of firefighters have been working to contain the Cottonwood fire, which by Saturday had expanded by more than 20,000 acres (8,000 hectares) in a single day, reaching over 92,000 acres (37,200 hectares). The fire began on Monday in Fishlake National Forest in central Utah. According to the US Forest Service, it grew overnight from about 70,000 acres to more than 92,000 acres by Saturday morning. The National Interagency Fire Center reported the fire remained 0% contained, making it the largest active wildfire in the US.
Damage assessment and fire conditions
Officials in Beaver County began working with firefighting teams on Saturday to evaluate the damage, though no estimates were immediately available. Low humidity and strong winds contributed to the rapid growth of the fire, according to state officials. Additional firefighters have been deployed to combat both newly ignited fires and existing blazes, driven by critical fire weather including extremely low humidity, high temperatures, and strong winds.
State of emergency declarations
Nearly 3 million acres have burned across the country since the beginning of the year, exceeding the 10-year average. Utah faces an even greater wildfire threat this year due to record-low snowpack and the warmest winter ever recorded. Earlier in the week, Utah Governor Spencer Cox declared a state of emergency because of severe fire conditions and authorized a statewide fireworks ban ahead of the Fourth of July holiday. Colorado Governor Jared Polis also declared a state of emergency on Saturday and approved deployment of the National Guard to assist with firefighting efforts.
Red flag warnings and power shutoffs
The National Weather Service has issued red flag warnings across a broad section of the west, including California, Arizona, and New Mexico. Power shutoffs have become increasingly common as wildfire danger grows. Rocky Mountain Power shut off electrical lines serving Beaver County and surrounding areas due to extreme wildfire conditions. As this summer could become the hottest on record, wildfires continue to pose a growing challenge. Areas across the American Great Plains that are typically green by mid-spring instead experienced fire this season, leaving more than 1 million acres scorched.
Climate context
Outbreaks of extreme weather, including conditions ripe for wildfires, are symptomatic of the ongoing climate crisis, primarily driven by carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels.
