Three firefighters died over the weekend while battling a wildfire along the Colorado-Utah border. The specialized Helitack crew was attempting to contain the blaze when they were overcome by flames. The firefighters, identified as Emily Barker, 38, of Michigan; Nick Hutcherson, 27, of Arizona; and Sydney Watson, 26, of Alabama, deployed emergency shelters but were fatally injured. Two other firefighters sustained burns in the incident.
Meanwhile, more than 120 rafters and campers were evacuated from a stretch of the Colorado River as a rapidly growing wildfire threatened the area. The evacuation, coordinated by Mesa County Search and Rescue and the Mesa County Sheriff's Office, involved removing people and six dogs from the Loma and Westwater sections of the river. By June 29, the fire had burned 28,264 acres.
Dozens of fires are being fought across the country amid drought and soaring temperatures. The National Weather Service warned of critical fire-risky weather in the Great Basin and Colorado River valley, with gusts of up to 30-35 mph forecast in parts of Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado. A brutal heat wave is expected to sweep the country east of the Rocky Mountains by July 4, prompting various fire and fireworks restrictions.
In Utah, multiple large fires have driven evacuations across several counties. The Iron Fire, which started on June 20, has burned around 41,467 acres and is now 77 percent contained. The Cherry Fire, which merged with nearby blazes, has scorched 34,224 acres and remains only 22 percent contained. The Cottonwood Fire in Beaver/Fishlake National Forest has also prompted evacuations.
Wildfire experts have warned of extreme fire dangers this summer due to months of dry weather and a record lack of snow in some areas. About half of the largest blazes are in Alaska, while the rest are mostly in Western states. Evacuations were ordered near seven fires, including in Arizona, Washington state, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah.