Three firefighters die in Colorado blaze

State Watch Three firefighters die in Colorado blaze Comments: by Tara Suter - 06/28/26 4:37 PM ET Comments: Link copied by Tara Suter - 06/28/26 4:37 PM ET Comments: Link copied

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Three firefighters died Saturday in a blaze in western Colorado, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said Sunday.

“Last night, we learned that three wildland firefighters—serving with the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Wildland Fire Service—lost their lives on Saturday, June 27, while responding jointly to the Knowles and Gore fires along the Colorado-Utah border,” Burgum said in a Sunday post on the social platform X.

“Additionally, two wildland firefighters were injured in the line of duty and have been transported to a hospital,” he added. “This is terrible news and a reminder of what our first responders risk every time they go out to prevent devastation and protect Americans from natural disasters.”

The U.S. Wildland Fire Service said in a Sunday statement that the two wounded firefighters were “being treated for burn injuries.”

The Colorado Division of Fire Prevention & Control said in its own post Sunday that its “deepest condolences go out to the families, friends, and colleagues of the brave firefighters we lost, and we are praying for a full and swift recovery for the injured crew members.”

According to The New York Times, both the Knowles and Gore fires merged with another fire, the Snyder fire, burning 28,000 acres.

The National Weather Service’s forecast office in Grand Junction, Colo., said in a Sunday post on X that “extreme wildfire conditions are expected again today.”

“A Particularly Dangerous Situation Red Flag Warning has been issued for southeastern Utah and southwestern Colorado through 10 PM today, especially near existing large wildfires. Rapid fire growth is likely,” the office added.

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