Three firefighters are recovering from burn injuries they sustained while working on a wildfire in Southwest Arizona over the weekend.
On Friday, March 16 two State Forestry firefighters were burned after falling into an ash pit on the Laguna Fire, 14 miles northeast of Yuma.
One firefighter suffered 2nd and 3rd degree burns and was flown to the Arizona Burn Center in Phoenix where he remains in the hospital. The other was treated at a Yuma-area hospital and released.
On Saturday, a third firefighter was injured on the same fire. He suffered minor burns and was also treated at the hospital and released.
Two of the firefighters are part of State Forestry’s Phoenix Crew. The third firefighter is a member of State Department of Corrections’ Yuma Crew.
“Firefighter safety is our number one priority at all times. The accidents are currently under review and being investigated by the department. We ask that you please keep all of our firefighters in your thoughts,” said State Forester Jeff Whitney.
All three are expected to make full recoveries.
The 15-acre Laguna Fire started Thursday, March 15th and the cause is under investigation.
Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to Jason and Tom.
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Thoughts and prayers for the firefighters, their families and the AZ DOF. And for the all the ignorant and naysaying bureaucrats , politicians and general public wildland firefighting is and will always be a dangerous and expensive occupation. So let’s fund it correctly in this great nation of ours!