A firefighter who was injured June 27 while fighting the Knowles fire in western Colorado has died, the Department of the Interior announced Saturday morning.
Nathan Matthews, 43, of Lincoln, Nebraska, died Friday from injuries sustained while responding to the Knowles fire near the Utah border. Matthews was assigned to the Rifle Helitack crew and was one of five firefighters who were overtaken by flames while engaged in initial attack operations on the fire, the Interior Department said in a news release.
Emily Barker, 38, of Clinton Township, Michigan; Nick Hutcherson, 27, of Glendale, Arizona; and Sydney Watson, 27, of Warrior, Alabama died at the scene. Barker and Watson were also part of the Rifle Helitack team. Officials did not give an update on the condition of the fifth firefighter injured that day.
“This is another heartbreaking loss for our wildland fire family,” U.S. Wildland Fire Service Chief Brian Fennessy said in the release. “We mourn the loss of Nate while continuing to grieve the deaths of Emily, Nick and Sydney. Our hearts are with their families, friends, crewmates and everyone impacted by this tragedy. We remain committed to supporting those affected and honoring the legacy of all four firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation.”
A serious accident investigation team continues to review the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The Knowles fire was part of a series of wildfires that started around June 26 in eastern Utah and western Colorado and all merged into what has become known as the Snyder fire. The Snyder fire burned 30,202 acres and is fully contained.
Matthews is the fifth firefighter to die in Colorado this year while battling wildfires. On July 12, a helicopter pilot died when his aircraft crashed into Silver Jack Reservoir while working on the Gold Mountain fire near Ouray.
Nicholas Dale, of Sooke, British Columbia, was flying in a K-MAX helicopter, which is frequently used in firefighting, logging and construction, according to the Gunnison County Sheriff’s Office. Dale was 56.
The heavy-lift helicopter had been doing water drops from Silver Jack Reservoir for less than an hour when it went down in the lake. His body was later recovered by a dive team. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating that crash.
This is a developing story that will be updated.