Three Firefighters Killed as Utah and Colorado Wildfires Rage Out of Control

Flames overtake firefighters on the Colorado-Utah border

Three firefighters were killed and two others suffered burn injuries Saturday when fast-moving wildfires on the Colorado-Utah border overran their position, the U.S. Interior Department announced.apnews The crew — drawn from the U.S. Wildland Fire Service and U.S. Forest Service — had deployed emergency shelters during the so-called burnover incident while battling the Knowles and Gore fires in Mesa County, Colorado, which later merged into the larger Snyder Fire covering more than 28,000 acres.pbs +1 The U.S. Wildland Fire Service said it "stands united" with the Forest Service in grief, adding: "Their bravery, dedication, and sacrifice will never be forgotten."pbs

The deaths came as wildfire activity intensified across the West, fueled by days of single-digit humidity, temperatures topping 93°F and wind gusts reaching 44 mph that kept firefighting aircraft grounded for stretches at a time.npr Colorado Gov. Jared Polis declared an emergency Saturday and authorized the National Guard to assist with suppression efforts.npr

Utah's largest blaze grows unchecked

The Cottonwood Fire — the largest wildfire burning anywhere in the United States — has scorched more than 146 square miles of rugged terrain in Beaver County, southern Utah, since igniting Monday, and remained at 0% containment as of Sunday.pbs +1 The blaze severely damaged the Eagle Point ski resort, destroyed summer cabins, and forced mandatory evacuations; as many as 1,300 residents in the towns of Marysvale, Junction and Circleville were placed on notice to flee.apnews +1 Steep canyon walls and cliffs have hampered heavy equipment deployment, slowing what is already one of the most challenging suppression efforts the region has seen.npr

Utah state forester Jamie Barnes said fires are spreading farther and faster "under conditions that defy historical expectations," a warning borne out by the National Weather Service in Salt Lake City issuing a "Particularly Dangerous Situation" red flag warning for five counties — the first time in the office's history.apnews +1 Rocky Mountain Power shut off lines serving Beaver County and other parts of central and southern Utah as a precaution against additional ignitions.cbsnews

A statewide fireworks ban on the eve of America's 250th birthday

With 12 active wildfires burning across more than 212,000 acres, Gov. Spencer Cox declared a state of emergency and imposed a fireworks ban through July 5 — directly curtailing Fourth of July celebrations at what would have been America's 250th anniversary.cbsnews Cox's order transfers authority to state forester Barnes to restrict or prohibit community fireworks displays rather than leaving those decisions to individual municipalities.apnews Of Utah's 376 wildfires recorded this year, 273 were determined to have been caused by humans.cbsnews

The extreme conditions trace back months: Utah recorded its lowest snowpack and warmest winter on record, with Salt Lake City averaging 40.7°F — nearly 8 degrees above normal.cbsnews +1 Nationally, nearly 3 million acres have burned since January, outpacing the 10-year average, as red-flag warnings stretched from California through Arizona to New Mexico.pbs +1