Firefighter Richard Wheeler age 31, Firefighter Andrew Zajac age 26, and Firefighter Tom Zbyszewski age 20, on August 19, 2015 were killed and one additional firefighter was injured when the Twisp wildfire trapped them in their apparatus on state forest land. The firefighters, members of an engine crew from the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, were involved in initial attack operations on the fire near Woods Canyon and Twisp River Roads in Washington State when their vehicle crashed and fire overtook it after winds suddenly shifted. The injured firefighter remains in the hospital in critical condition. Several other firefighters with dozer crews were also reported to have been injured. Investigation into the fatal incident continues.
Our condolences to the Wheeler, Zajac, & Zbyszewski Families & Friends, Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, and to all affected by Firefighter Richard Wheeler’s, Firefighter Andrew Zajac’s, and Firefighter Tom Zbyszewski's passing.
To date, 54, 55, 56 firefighter fatalities have been reported to USFA in 2015. Year-to-date monthly and annual USFA firefighter fatality reports are posted online at U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) Fatality Notices page.
(The usual disclaimers: I am not a journalist; This is a blog that expresses an outlook and is not conclusive in any shape or manner.)
