{"id":4801,"date":"2026-06-29T21:52:02","date_gmt":"2026-06-29T21:52:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/2026\/06\/29\/officials-release-names-of-three-firefighters-killed-in-colorado-wildfire\/"},"modified":"2026-06-29T21:52:02","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T21:52:02","slug":"officials-release-names-of-three-firefighters-killed-in-colorado-wildfire","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/?p=4801","title":{"rendered":"Officials release names of three firefighters killed in Colorado wildfire"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-gu-name=\"media\" class=\"dcr-14sl0e4\">\n<div class=\"dcr-17l77cs\">\n<figure id=\"7b66432a-bc6d-4a47-b40d-f99bf5d11976\" class=\"dcr-191xnya\">\n<div id=\"img-1\" class=\"dcr-1t7hdmw\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Smoke rises from mountains \" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/7f51ee1686e40bda4930c746fe9005da642cfbb9\/0_0_5791_3861\/master\/5791.jpg?width=465&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"465\" height=\"310.0267656708686\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"dcr-up96pv\"><span class=\"dcr-kogzpx\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-18mnkpm\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1294qmb\"><label for=\"the-checkbox\" class=\"dcr-4sl2vt\"><\/label> <\/p>\n<div id=\"the-caption\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1mfxiaj\"><span class=\"dcr-13i4yc9\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1cipnsy\">Smoke rises from the Snyder fire burning near Thompson Springs, Utah, on Sunday.<\/span> Photograph: Noah Berger\/AP<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><a href=\"#img-1\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-zwabc0\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"7b66432a-bc6d-4a47-b40d-f99bf5d11976\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-1bitgpn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-1shbixy\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"dcr-qda0hp\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1e9iiy9\"><span class=\"dcr-13i4yc9\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1cipnsy\">Smoke rises from the Snyder fire burning near Thompson Springs, Utah, on Sunday.<\/span> Photograph: Noah Berger\/AP<\/figcaption><\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"headline\" class=\"dcr-ql9l8l\">\n<div class=\"dcr-6mja0y\">\n<h1 class=\"dcr-l0wuod\">Officials release names of three firefighters killed in Colorado wildfire<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"standfirst\" class=\"dcr-1xpojbf\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1gm5ptv\">\n<p>Emily Barker, Nick Hutcherson and Sydney Watson killed working to contain raging fires on Utah-Colorado border<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"body\" class=\"dcr-x1al2c\">\n<div class=\"dcr-11gq2tx\">\n<div id=\"maincontent\" class=\"dcr-1w2vkyc\">\n<div class=\"article-body-commercial-selector article-body-viewer-selector dcr-ogvvui\">\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">The US Department of Interior on Monday released the names of three firefighters who were killed while working to contain wildfires along the Utah-Colorado border.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Two other firefighters who were part of the specialized helicopter-deployed crew were also injured in the blaze, although authorities did not identify them.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Thirty-eight-year-old Emily Barker of Michigan, 27-year-old Nick Hutcherson of Arizona and 27-year-old Sydney Watson of Alabama were killed on Saturday as they fought the Knowles fire in western Colorado. The crew attempted to use tent-like shelters to guard themselves from the fires but were overcome, <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/firefighters-killed-colorado-utah-459ad012d96b3a149b1560897a31eba6\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">according to the Associated Press<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Thousands of firefighters have been deployed across western US states and Alaska to fight <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/jun\/28\/firefighter-deaths-utah-colorado-wildfires\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">a series of wildfires<\/a> this month, which have spread as dry, hot weather along with high winds helped fuel their growth.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Utah\u2019s governor Spencer Cox <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/jun\/26\/utah-governor-fireworks-wildfires\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">declared a state of emergency<\/a> last week and a ban on personal fireworks until after the Fourth of July in response to the dangerous conditions. Colorado governor Jared Polis on Saturday announced a similar state of emergency.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">The three firefighters killed over the weekend were part of a Helitack crew that provides rapid response to wildfires, often by being dropped by in remote locations that are otherwise inaccessible.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">The Knowles fire they were sent to combat has merged with two other fires to form the Snyder Mesa fire, which the Colorado governor\u2019s office estimates has burned over 28,000 acres.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Governor Polis issued a statement on Sunday mourning the deaths of Barker, Hutcherson and Watson, and said that the state is working with the Bureau of Land Management, Colorado national guard and other officials to fight the fires and recover their bodies.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cThe men and women who serve on the front lines of these fires risk their lives to keep us safe and to protect the lands and communities we love,\u201d Polis said. \u201cTo the loved ones of those lost, and to their fellow crew members \u2013 some who are still battling the flames \u2013 know that the state of Colorado mourns alongside you.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Several other politicians and agencies also issued statements, including Cox and Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer. The Department of Interior also announced that it had mobilized a \u201cserious accident investigation team\u201d to review the circumstances surrounding the incident.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cThis is an incredibly difficult moment for the entire wildland fire community,\u201d Forest Service deputy chief Sarah Fisher said in a statement. \u201cOur heavy hearts are with the families during this unimaginable time. We recognize the tremendous impact this loss has on them and are deeply grateful for the devotion their loved ones brought to our organizations.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-print-layout=\"hide\" class=\"dcr-swayiu\"><span class=\"dcr-1xhbmzr\">Explore more on these topics<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-2c03t5\">\n<ul class=\"dcr-p7nd18\">\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/colorado\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">Colorado<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/world\/wildfires\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">Wildfires<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/utah\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">Utah<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/tone\/news\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">news<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"dcr-313bdz\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Officials%20release%20names%20of%20three%20firefighters%20killed%20in%20Colorado%20wildfire&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/jun\/29\/firefighters-killed-colorado-wildfires?CMP=share_btn_url\" class=\"dcr-ncybeu\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-19bkree\"><a data-link-name=\"meta-syndication-article\" href=\"https:\/\/syndication.theguardian.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fus-news%2F2026%2Fjun%2F29%2Ffirefighters-killed-colorado-wildfires&amp;type=article&amp;internalpagecode=us-news\/2026\/jun\/29\/firefighters-killed-colorado-wildfires\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" title=\"Reuse this content\" class=\"dcr-1c41onw\">Reuse this content<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"right-column\" class=\"dcr-axwinp\"><span class=\"dcr-1ryr20k\"><\/span><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Smoke rises from the Snyder fire burning near Thompson Springs, Utah, on Sunday. Photograph: Noah Berger\/AP View image<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":4803,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4801","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4801","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4801"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4801\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4803"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4801"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4801"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4801"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}