VIDEO: Three federal firefighters were killed and two were injured Saturday in a wildfire burning near the Colorado-Utah state line, the U.S. Wildland Fire Service reported Sunday.
The agency — created earlier this year to streamline firefighting and fire reduction across public lands — said the firefighters had been part of an interagency response to the Knowles and Gore fires on Saturday.
In a release, the agency said it occurred during a burnover incident, in which fire sweeps through an area or overtakes personnel or equipment, leaving no viable escape routes or safety zones.
The two injured firefighters are being treated for burn injuries, according to the department. The identities of the two firefighters are being withheld pending notifications.
Gov. Jared Polis also declared an emergency on Saturday, and authorized the use of the National Guard to tackle the fires.
According to his office, the Jones, Snyder Mesa, and Knowles Fires combined and are now the Snyder Mesa Fire, which has burned more than 28,000 acres.
KMGH-TV ABC 7 Denver
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