The loss of colleagues

We are saddened by the deaths this fire season of our wildland firefighter colleagues. Already this has been a long fire season and there is still hard work for wildland firefighters to do.

Please note the article in the Washington Post about the August 6 helicopter crash. Of the people the helicopter carried, nine are missing and presumed dead and the other four are severely burned.

This tragedy – added to the recent losses of Fire Chief Daniel Packer and firefighters Andrew Palmer, John Hermo, Josh Speigel, and Robert Roland – brings the total deaths in California to 15 this fire season, according to the Washington Post. The count is rounded out by the civilian found in a burned-out house in Paradise, California.

A great website to visit is the Wildland Firefighter Foundation. This site's focus "is to help families of firefighters killed in the line of duty and to assist injured firefighters and their families." It also lists firefighters who have lost their lives since 2002.

Our hearts go out to the families who have lost their loved ones.

And to those of you out on the fires, be careful, and come home safe.