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Three firefighters die as Snyder Fire blazes across Utah‑Colorado border
On June 27 2026, three federal wildland firefighters were killed and two others injured in a burn‑over incident on the Snyder Fire, a fast‑moving blaze that merged several smaller fires and burned about 28,000 acres along the Utah‑Colorado border. The crew was part of an inter‑agency response to the Knowles and Gore fires. Governor Jared Polis of Colorado declared a disaster emergency and activated the Colorado National Guard, while Utah Governor Spencer Cox declared a state of emergency and imposed a temporary fireworks ban. Cox later posted, “Please pray for them and for the rains we desperately need.” Polis said, “I’m devastated about the loss of three heroic firefighters … the men and women who serve on the front lines risk their lives to keep us safe.” The region faces extreme fire weather—high temperatures, low humidity, gusty winds and historic drought—triggering red‑flag warnings and complicating suppression efforts. Nearby, the Cottonwood Fire in southwestern Utah has swelled to more than 144 square miles, damaging a ski resort and summer cabins, highlighting the broader wildfire crisis across the western United States.