3 firefighters killed in Western wildfire were trying to shield themselves from flames
A helicopter drops water on the Cottonwood Fire burning near Beaver, Utah, on Saturday, June 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
BEAVER, Utah (AP) — Three firefighters killed over the weekend in a wildfire along the Colorado-Utah border were trying to shield themselves from flames by deploying tent-like shelters when they were overcome, authorities said.
They were part of a specialized crew that goes into remote areas to quickly put out new and rapidly escalating wildfires, federal officials said Monday.