Nathan Matthews, 43, died weeks after a fast-moving wildfire killed three members of his crew near the Colorado-Utah border, while crews in Oregon battled a lightning-caused fire burning just north of Sisters.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
A federal firefighter who was critically injured when flames overtook a Helitack crew near the Colorado-Utah border last month has died, bringing the death toll from the incident to four as severe wildfire conditions continue across the western United States and Canada.
Nathan Matthews, 43, of Lincoln, Nebraska, died Friday, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced Saturday. Matthews had been hospitalized after he and several colleagues were trapped by a rapidly advancing wildfire June 27 in Mesa County, Colorado, west of Grand Junction.
The crew deployed tentlike emergency fire shelters as the flames closed in. Three firefighters — Emily Barker, 38; Nick Hutcherson, 27; and Sydney Watson, 26 — died at the scene.
Matthews and one other firefighter were transported for medical care. The Interior Department did not provide details Saturday about Matthews’ treatment, his firefighting career or the condition of the surviving crew member.
Barker, Hutcherson and Watson were members of a Helitack crew, a specialized unit transported by helicopter into remote terrain to attack new fires before they can grow. The three were honored during a memorial service earlier in July. Funeral or memorial arrangements for Matthews had not been announced.
His death came as firefighters confronted multiple large blazes throughout the West, including a lightning-caused wildfire burning only a few miles north of Sisters, Oregon.
The central Oregon fire had consumed approximately 40 square miles, or 105 square kilometers, by Saturday and was 5% contained. Officials ranked it as the nation’s highest-priority wildfire for firefighting resources.
Sisters, a city of roughly 3,000 residents, was not considered to be in immediate danger, although winds gusting as high as 30 mph threatened to push the flames into additional areas.
Fire crews had made progress limiting the fire’s movement, and local officials expressed cautious optimism that the threat to the city would diminish after the strongest winds subsided Sunday.
“It’s going to take a while to put it out entirely. But as long as it stops moving, I think that’ll get people to relax a little bit,” Sisters Mayor Jennifer Letz said.
About 30 evacuees from communities north of the city were staying in a shelter established at the local high school. A similar number were staying in recreational vehicles parked outside, according to Letz.
Despite the nearby fire, normal activity continued within Sisters.
“We’re not necessarily asking everybody to come to Sisters. But it’s safe here,” Letz said.
Firefighters remained focused on preventing the blaze from advancing toward populated areas while contending with dry fuels, shifting winds and exceptionally low moisture levels.
Months of droughtlike conditions, unusually limited snowfall in some areas, repeated periods of high temperatures and unpredictable winds have contributed to major fires in Oregon, Washington, California, Colorado and other Western states.
The Oregon blaze was among several significant wildfires burning during a summer marked by extensive fire activity across North America.
Canada was dealing with 926 active fires Saturday, including 82 classified as out of control, according to the Canadian Wildland Fire Information System.
Approximately 5,300 personnel and 300 aircraft were involved in Canadian firefighting operations. Northwestern Ontario alone had 133 active fires, according to the province’s Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services agency.
The largest fire in Ontario had burned about 1,200 square miles, or 3,200 square kilometers.
The widespread fire activity has strained emergency resources while exposing crews to dangerous and rapidly changing conditions. Helitack firefighters face particular risks because they are deployed into isolated locations where escape routes may be limited and flames can spread quickly through dry vegetation.
Authorities had not released additional details about the circumstances that led to the June 27 entrapment in Colorado.
As crews continued working to contain the Oregon fire, officials said the most immediate goal was to stop its forward movement and prevent wind-driven flames from reaching Sisters or nearby communities.
Full containment was expected to take considerably longer, even if favorable conditions allowed firefighters to stabilize the perimeter.
Original article
Comments