‘Unfathomably’ fast wildfire killed 4 wildland firefighters near Colorado-Utah border, new report finds

The first federal report on the Knowles Fire, which killed four wildland firefighters near the Colorado-Utah border on June 27, was released by the Department of the Interior on Friday.

The 95-page report used interviews from the surviving firefighter, fire managers, and other crew members working nearby fires to gain a complete understanding of the events that led to the firefighters’ deaths, according to department officials. Other data used in the report included dispatch logs, remotely-sensed data and physical evidence from the scene of the entrapment.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Firefighters killed near Colorado-Utah border were waiting for helicopter pickup when burnover overtook them, latest investigation details show

Officials determined that the crew only had nine seconds between learning the helicopter they requested to rescue them could not land and needing to deploy their fire shelters. The Knowles Fire, which merged with the nearby Snyder Mesa, Jones and Gore fires, spread more than 7 miles over complex broken mesa and canyon topography in under three hours, which witnesses described as “shocking” and “unfathomable.” Sustained winds of 25 to 30 mph with gusts up to 40 mph persisted for hours.

“An Air Attack with more than 30 years of experience was ‘shocked’ at the run the Snyder, Jones and Dolores
Fires made on June 27th,” the report said. “The fires’ tendency to spot over natural barriers that day was unlike anything the fire management organization had previously experienced … For some, it was the windiest day they had ever experienced on a fire, or, indeed, at all. One experienced firefighter described it as less like normal fire spread and more ‘like a storm, sweeping with the wind’ over the landscape.”

Heavy smoke made it impossible for the crew’s requested helicopter to land safely, according to the report. A helicopter was eventually able to return to the site two and a half hours after the burnover and found the two surviving firefighters, one of whom would die from their injuries later. A second helicopter landed at the scene minutes later and confirmed there were no other survivors.

The report included 19 numbered findings, but listed no blame or recommendations to avoid similar situations in the future.

“No single decision or system failure fully explains the outcome. Instead, the events reveal the cumulative effects of known limitations operating under extraordinary tempo and conditions,” officials said in the report. “By documenting and analyzing these interactions with care and honesty, the team seeks to equip firefighters, managers, dispatchers, and aviation personnel with clearer insight so that similar sequences may be recognized and interrupted in the future.”

Click here to read the full report.

New wildfire platform connects US fire departments, emergency managers and tribal governments to resources

A new online platform to connect wildfire responders and stakeholders to resources focused on strengthening preparedness, mitigation, and community resilience has been launched by the International Association of Fire Chiefs, with support from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the US Forest Service.

The Wildfire Resilience Hub streamlines access to the Association’s wildfire programs, training opportunities, practical tools, and technical expertise, representatives said in a press release. The resources include:

  • Wildfire programs supporting community wildfire preparedness, mitigation, and resilience.
  • Resources and tools such as practical guides, publications, templates and educational materials.
  • Training and education materials like webinars, workshops, and professional development opportunities.
  • Technical assistance like expert guidance and support.
  • Community solutions like successful initiatives, best practices, and lessons learned from other communities.
  • News, events, and funding opportunities.

People interested in accessing the resources must be signed up through the Association’s Ready, Set, Go! Program. Membership is free and can be completed online.

“The Wildfire Resilience Hub supports a more connected approach to wildfire preparedness by bringing programs, education, resources, and technical assistance together in one platform,” Association representatives said in a press release. “By improving access to information and encouraging collaboration among fire departments, government agencies, and community organizations, the Hub helps partners identify practical solutions, strengthen preparedness efforts, and build more wildfire-resilient communities.

Click here to access the hub.

Nearly $20M awarded to rural Texas fire departments to prepare for wildfire

When a wildfire ignites in Texas, the first people on the scene are most likely from one of the state’s hundreds of volunteer fire departments, most of which have less than adequate resources to contain the flames.

Officials with the Texas A&M Forest Service say they are aware of this disparity and are attempting to address it with new funding through its Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program, specifically for firefighting equipment, training and other emergency needs. The program’s most recent $20 million award is its first round of funding for the 2027 fiscal year.

“Demand for assistance through the program routinely exceeds available funding as volunteer fire departments work to maintain and replace vehicles, protective gear and other essential resources,” the Service said in a press release on Friday. “To address longstanding funding needs, the 89th Texas Legislature appropriated $192 million in one-time additional funding to support outstanding requests.”

Click here for a full list of how much money was given to each of the state’s 518 rural departments.

The funding was announced after a very active fire season in the state. Texas recorded its largest summer wildfire in history in September when the Ross Fire burned over 90,000 acres in Palo Pinto County. The fire destroyed 167 structures, including 18 occupied residences, and damaged 95 structures.

Multiple wildfires that burned in the Texas Panhandle in February triggered an “Agriculture Emergency” due to alleged devastating losses they caused to the region’s farmers. Three wildfires in the Panhandle, including the Lavender Fire, 8 Ball Fire, and Canadian Bridge Fire, burned more than 21,350 acres, many of which were farmland.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Wildfires trigger ‘Agriculture Emergency’ in Texas

Canada’s largest fire detector acquires US wildfire business despite barriers

Wildfire detection company SenseNet, Canada’s largest wildfire detection operator, recently announced the acquisition of N5 Sensors‘ wildfire-related assets, a semiconductor producer in the United States, despite the company’s recent failure in a federal audit and the two nations being in the middle of a trade war.

N5 builds environmental and chemical sensor platforms for air quality analysis, hazardous chemical monitoring and early wildfire detection, according to the company’s website. SenseNet acquired the company’s fire-sensing technology just months after the sensors failed an audit conducted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

SenseNet CEO and Founder Hamed Noori told Wildfire Today that he and his company were aware of the failed audit before the acquisition, deciding that the audit’s report did not accurately reflect N5’s technology nor how it would operate under SenseNet. He added that he believes N5’s integration into SenseNet would only add to his company’s ability to monitor wildfires.

SenseNet also monitors more than 400 million acres of wildlands across 10 other countries. The company focuses on smoldering-phase gas sensors, long-range AI cameras, and satellite intelligence, among other technologies.

The acquisition also comes amid an escalating trade war between the U.S. and Canada, triggered after President Donald Trump imposed 50% tariffs on numerous goods from Canada entering the U.S. on Aug. 19, and explicitly includes electronics and telecom equipment like those SenseNet and N5 rely on, along with vehicle parts, lumber, and agricultural goods. Canada exported more than $4 billion worth of electronics equipment to the U.S. in 2025 that would now be subject to the tariffs, largely made up of electrical boards and controllers.

Canada’s responded by instituting 25% tariffs on $30 billion worth of American goods on August 22 then issued more retaliatory tariffs on September 8, including taxes ranging between 15 and 50% on a list of more than 700 U.S. goods, including semiconductor-related parts and other technology goods.

Noori told Wildfire Today he expects the ongoing trade war to minimally impact his business, if at all.

“For one, the sensors are relatively cheap and the majority of our value comes from our platform and AI that detects the wildfires,” Noori said. “Secondly, wildfire prevention is an issue that transcends politics as both countries collaborate deeply and share resources.”

Fatal Yosemite Dome Fire helicopter crash details and pilot identities released

The two pilots killed in a helicopter crash while fighting the Dome Fire in Yosemite National Park have been identified by the helicopter’s owner, and the Federal Aviation Administration has released preliminary details on the crash.

The Precision aerospace company identified the men as Greg King and Ryan Cutter in a post on their social media account late Monday night. The company did not release further details on King or Cutter but acknowledged the public’s thoughts and prayers.

“These two men deserve every single one of them, as do their families and friends,” a company representative said in the post. “These two men brought honor to the mission. Their dedication and service will never be forgotten.”

The FAA’s initial incident notification said the helicopter, a Eurocopter AS32 Super Puma, crashed under unknown circumstances while on water bucket drops at the fire. The administration listed one flight crew member and one passenger on the helicopter.

The Dome Fire has burned 3,324 acres and is 15% contained as of Tuesday morning, according to fire crews at the scene. The fire continued to spread into the 2017 Empire Fire footprint, whiile a spot fire to the east grows. Officials expect spotting to continue as the fire moves north into heavy dead and down fuels.

“Fire behavior will remain moderate, with spotting behavior being a big challenge in the full suppression efforts of this fire,” officials said in the Monday morning update. “We continue to stage structure firefighters at Yosemite West and Wawona, supporting local communities and continuing prep work and contingencies.”

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Two dead in helicopter crash at the Dome Fire in Yosemite National Park

Two dead in helicopter crash at the Dome Fire in Yosemite National Park

Two flight crew members were killed on Sunday when their firefighting helicopter crashed at the Dome Fire burning in Yosemite National Park, according to the company that owned the helicopter.

Aerospace company Precision confirmed the two crew members’ deaths to WildfireToday. A company spokesperson said representatives are working to notify family members of those who were killed and that the National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are leading an investigation into the incident. They did not share details on the events leading up to the crash.

“It is with unimaginable sadness and broken hearts that we share the loss of two beloved members of our team,” Precision said in a statement. “We are devastated by this loss and are struggling to find the words. We ask for privacy and compassion for their families and our team as we grieve this tremendous loss.”

Here is an update from the Alaska Division of Forestry and Fire Protection.

The Dome Fire burned 2,667 acres as of Sunday morning, according to crews working the fire. The fire continues to grow into the 2017 Empire Fire footprint, which burned 8,094 acres northeast of Wawona, California. The presence of abundant fuels in the area is driving fire spread.

“Heavy fuel conditions continue to pose challenges for ground-based suppression resources as they continue to utilize natural barriers such as granite outcroppings and bare areas in the northwest flank,” according to the latest incident update. “Fire is moving through red fir fuel type, which is conducive to spotting and susceptible to burning.”

Fire managers expected an incoming weak weather system to spread clouds and lower temperatures throughout the fire area on Sunday.

With or without roads, US forests burn at a similar rate, researchers claim

McKinley Fire Alaska Parks highway

Over 40 years of wildfire-ignition data across 11 western U.S. states showed that national forest areas classified as “roadless” didn’t burn more than national forest land with roads, further fueling discussion around the Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins’ intent to repeal the 2001 “Roadless Rule.”

Rollins has stated that the nation’s protected forests need to be opened to new road construction, development and logging in order to reduce the risk of wildfires. Rollins has also labeled the rule as an “absurd obstacle to properly managing our forests.”

Researchers out of Oregon State University explicitly cited the USDA’s wildfire-based claims for repealing the 2021 Roadless Rule as the reason behind why they analyzed four decades of fire research. Previous studies have highlighted the ecological benefits of roadless areas, including the conservation of biodiversity and supporting clean air and water quality, and the researchers argue those benefits are why it is important for decision-makers to critically evaluate proposed rationales for overturning the Roadless Rule.

Their study, published on Sept. 8, compiled fire severity and extent data to evaluate fire patterns across developed lands, inventoried roadless areas (IRAs), and wilderness. The fire severity data was sourced from the Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity program, an interagency effort between the US Geological Survey and Forest Service that uses Landsat satellite imagery to map the extent and severity of all large fires from 1984 to the present.

The researchers found inventoried roadless areas burned at an estimated 1.13 times the annual rate of developed lands between 1984 and 2023. The annual burn rate of inventoried roadless areas dropped to 0.89 times the annual rate of developed lands when measured between 2014 and 2023.

“Our analysis indicates that IRAs across western states’ NFS land are not associated with a significantly greater rate of burning – or a greater rate of moderate and high-severity fire – relative to roaded or developed lands,” the researchers said in the study. “It is possible that burn rates in IRAs [inventoried roadless areas] are stabilizing as fires encounter previously burned areas with less fuel to burn. However, it is more likely that there is simply no consistent, quantifiable difference between patterns of fire in IRAs and the roaded and developed portion of the NFS landscape at the spatial and temporal scales we evaluated.”

The researchers did identify a landscape with a very high burn rate, but it would be unaffected by the Roadless Rule’s repeal. Congressionally designated wilderness areas burned at almost double the annual rate of inventoried roadless areas or developed lands, which they attributed to significant constraints on suppression resource availability during fire seasons and the low prioritization remote wilderness areas receive for both initial attack and containment.

Public comment on removing the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule has been extended to October 6, 2026. Go to this USDA page for more information and to Comment.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: End to landmark roadless rule will make wildfires more likely, study finds

Prescribed burning gets hazard pay coverage under final rule passage

The U.S. Wildland Fire Service celebrated what it called a “well-deserved win” for the nation’s firefighters after prescribed wildland fire duties were officially made eligible for hazardous duty pay.

The Office of Personnel Management on Tuesday issued a final rule making the duties eligible for hazard pay for General Schedule employees and for Environmental Differential Pay for Federal Wage System employees. The final rule specifically authorizes a 25% differential for both classes of employees participating in the fireline during prescribed fires.

The rule will officially go into effect 30 days after it is published in the Federal Register, according to the Office of Personnel Management. Officials originally submitted the proposed rule in April.

“This is the latest improvement to firefighter compensation, following the incident response premium pay and permanent pay reforms established last year,” the Service said in a social media post.

Hazard pay has historically not been eligible for GS employees when the “hazard” in question has already been taken into account in the position’s description, like firefighters fighting wildfires, according to the Office. That largely changed for firefighters in 2021 when a special exemption was added, allowing wildland firefighters working on a wildfire’s fireline to receive hazard pay. The rule change follows the same logic, allowing a GS or FWS employee working a prescribed fire’s fireline to receive hazard pay despite the classification of the employee’s position.

Previous research has shown that wildland firefighters conducting prescribed burns are often exposed to carbon monoxide, trace metals, and particulate matter at levels that exceeded the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s recommended exposure limit, which may cause both short-term and long-term negative health impacts. Some of the personal protective equipment that wildland firefighters use has been found to increase the risk of cancer, due to the equipment shedding carcinogenic compounds and harmful chemicals when exposed to high temperatures common on firelines.

Fish and Wildlife officer dies while evacuating family from Oklahoma’s Railroad South Fire

A U.S. Fish and Wildlife law enforcement officer died while helping evacuate residents threatened by the Railroad South Fire in Oklahoma, the Department of the Interior announced on Sunday.

The officer was identified at 38-year-old David Taylor of Scio, Oregon, according to a press release sent out by the department. Taylor was going door to door to help residents evacuate, and officials lost contact with him while he was assisting a family leave their home. Evidence recovered from the scene indicates he died during the evacuation effort.

“Everything we know about David’s actions demonstrates extraordinary courage and selflessness,” U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Brian Nesvik said. “When people were in danger, David was there helping them get to safety. He remained committed to protecting others under the most dangerous circumstances. We mourn alongside his family, friends and colleagues, and we will never forget his service.”

Taylor worked for the Service at Rio Mora National Wildlife Refuge and Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico before joining Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma, officials said in the press release. He also had 20 years of naval service, serving on active duty in the U.S. Navy and continuing his military service in the Navy Reserve while he was a federal wildlife officer.

The release says more information will be released as it is confirmed.

The Railroad South Fire ignited between Indiahoma and Cache in Oklahoma at around 2 p.m. on Saturday, according to Comanche Nation Emergency Management. The fire burned 515 acres, destroyed five homes and two deaths including Taylor. The Comanche County/Lawton Emergency Management has lifted all evacuation orders for residents affected by the fire and authorities are investigating the cause.

Donations supporting victims and survivors of the fire can be directed to the following contacts, officials said:

  • Lenetta McClung Davenport at (580) 699-4893
  • Adra Tehauno-Martinez with the Comanche National Housing Authority at (580) 357-4956
  • Comanche Nation Emergency Management Hotline at (580) 919-1098

Wildland firefighters warned not to take supplements for smoke or PFAS exposure

A drug marketed to wildland firefighters exposed to smoke or PFAS shows no evidence of being effective, leading the International Association of Firefighters and the Food and Drug Administration to warn against its use.

The drug, called glutathione, is marketed to fire fighters to remove toxins, but the IAFF says there are no scientific studies showing it can reduce forever chemical levels or relieve occupational exposures.

“Because glutathione is not an FDA-approved drug, consumers should be cautious about product safety and claims that glutathione can treat or prevent diseases,” the IAFF said in a safety advisory.

The association referenced a nationwide recall of the drug made on Aug. 5 by Victory Medical Center Pharmacy in Austin, Texas, after pharmacists found elevated bacterial endotoxin levels in the drug.

“There is reasonable probability that injectable products with elevated endotoxin levels could cause significant medical events including fevers, hypotension, inflammatory reactions, anaphylactic shock and death,” the pharmacy said in a risk statement shared by the FDA. “To date, Victory Medical Center Pharmacy has received reports of adverse events including fever, chills, severe headache, nausea, vomiting, tachycardia, changes in blood pressure, body aches, and instances of injection site reactions.”

The IAFF also shared an FDA alert from 2019, warning compounders not to use the drug in injectable drugs due to patients who used the drugs experiencing adverse effects, also due to high levels of endotoxins. Patients reportedly experienced symptoms of varying degrees, including nausea, vomiting, lightheadedness, chills, body aches and sneezing, with one patient being hospitalized after experiencing low blood pressure and difficulty breathing.

“Accompanying the initial adverse event reports were endotoxin test results from a third-party laboratory, which FDA found concerning,” the FDA alert said. “All samples tested by an FDA laboratory were found to contain excessive bacterial endotoxin with some results as high as five times the appropriate limit, which the agency calculated based on the L-glutathione dose received by the patients.”