3 firefighters killed in burnover as Snyder Fire burns more than 11 330 ha (28 000 acres) along Utah-Colorado border
At least three firefighters were reported dead while two others were injured amid suppression efforts for Knowles and Gore fires along the Utah-Colorado border on Saturday, June 27, 2026. The fires are believed to have been started by lightning strike on Friday and Saturday.
A photo of what's become the Snyder Fire, a combination of several fires that ignited Saturday, June 27, 2026 in western Colorado and eastern Utah. Credit: U.S. Bureau of Land Management
Three firefighters were killed and two others injured while battling the Snyder Fire along the Utah-Colorado border, the Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire Management Unit reported on Sunday, June 28.
The firefighters were assigned to suppression operations on the Knowles and Gore fires, which later merged with the Jones Fire to form the Snyder Fire. As of Sunday morning, the Snyder Fire had burned more than 11 330 ha (28 000 acres) and remained 0% contained.
The Knowles Fire was first reported at approximately 09:30 local time (LT) on Saturday near Knowles Canyon in the southern section of the McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area, southwest of Fruita, Colorado. Officials believe the Knowles and Gore fires were ignited by lightning strikes on Friday and Saturday.
According to officials, the five firefighters were caught in a burnover. A burnover occurs when a wildland fire overruns firefighters and their equipment, leaving no escape route. Three firefighters died, while the two injured firefighters were rescued by helicopter.
Colorado Governor Jared Polis issued a disaster declaration following confirmation of the fatalities.
Fire officials said the Knowles and Gore fires were overtaken by the Jones and Snyder Mesa fires, which started Saturday on the western side of the Colorado-Utah border before spreading into Colorado. These merged with multiple smaller fires, becoming the Snyder Fire.
I’m devastated about the loss of three heroic firefighters who died in the line of duty in Western Colorado. 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… pic.twitter.com/hCTrvqZJH2
— Governor Jared Polis (@GovofCO) June 28, 2026
Critical fire weather conditions persisted on Sunday after the National Weather Service upgraded the Red Flag Warning to a Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS). The warning cites strong winds, critically low relative humidity, dry fuels, and the potential for rapid wildfire growth, and remains in effect through 22:00 local time on June 28.
Forecasts call for wind gusts of 70 to 90 km/h (44 to 55 mph) across much of southeastern Utah and southwestern Colorado, while relative humidity is expected to fall to between 5% and 10%, supporting conditions favorable for extreme fire behavior.
I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.
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