Western Colorado's fast-moving Snyder Mesa Fire has claimed the lives of three firefighters trying to battle back the blaze. After the fire burned more than 28,000 acres, Gov. Jared Polis has declared a disaster emergency as crews keep working to contain the threat.
What happened?
The fire moved into Colorado from Utah and became the larger Snyder Mesa Fire after the Jones, Snyder Mesa, and Knowles fires merged.
Citing the Governor's Office, Kiowa County Press reported that three U.S. Wildland Fire Service firefighters died Saturday during the response to the Snyder Mesa Fire in Mesa County.
That same day, two other firefighters were injured and flown to safety on a helicopter operated by the state Division of Fire Prevention and Control.
Gov. Polis has authorized the Colorado National Guard to help recover the three firefighters.
"I'm devastated about the loss of three heroic firefighters who died in the line of duty in Western Colorado," Polis said in a statement, per the Kiowa County Press.
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"The men and women who serve on the front lines of these fires risk their lives to keep us safe and to protect the lands and communities we love. To the loved ones of those lost, and to their fellow crew members — some who are still battling the flames — know that the State of Colorado mourns alongside you."
By Tuesday morning, the fire had burned more than 30,200 acres and was 0% contained, according to Watch Duty.
Why does it matter?
As a fire spreads across tens of thousands of acres, conditions can shift rapidly, leaving firefighters exposed to extreme heat, heavy smoke, changing winds, and falling debris.
Hotter, drier conditions can help fires spread faster and burn more intensely, threatening public health through smoke pollution, undermining community safety through evacuations and infrastructure damage, and destabilizing businesses.
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Major fires can also bring road closures, disrupted services, damaged ecosystems, and long recovery periods even after the flames are under control.
What's being done?
The governor's disaster declaration triggered the State Emergency Operations Plan, making the Colorado Department of Public Safety responsible for coordinating fire suppression, recovery, and damage-reduction efforts.
That work is being led by the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM) and the Division of Fire Prevention and Control (DFPC). The response includes state and interagency engines, ground crews, aircraft, and incident management teams.
The DFPC is also supplying maps, aerial imagery, and fire behavior projections so crews can track the fire's movement and potential spread.
The DHSEM is partnering with the Mesa County emergency manager and assisting at the county's emergency operations center.
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