Federal wildlife officer dies during Oklahoma wildfire evacuation

David Taylor, a 38-year-old federal wildlife officer with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is believed to have died while assisting residents during the Railroad South Fire in Oklahoma.

Taylor, a resident of Scio, Oregon, was working alongside local emergency crews to conduct door-to-door evacuations south of Oklahoma City. His last contact with dispatch occurred while he was helping a family flee their home. Authorities stated that evidence recovered from a structure suggests he died during these evacuation efforts.

In addition to his role at the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, Taylor was a Senior Chief Petty Officer in the Navy Reserve. He served 20 years in the U.S. Navy, including five deployments to locations such as Iraq and Djibouti. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Brian Nesvik praised Taylor’s actions, describing them as demonstrating ‘extraordinary courage and selflessness’ in the face of danger.