U.S. Forest Service identifies injured, dead firemen

[uppityperson]

Source: Omak Chronicle

Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest officials have released the names of the firemen killed and injured yesterday afternoon.

#The three fallen U.S. Forest Service firemen who perished are:

Tom Zbyszewski, 20
Andrew Zajac, 26
Richard Wheeler, 31
#Daniel Lyon, 25, of Puyallup, was critically injured and is being treated at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle....(a bit more at link)

Read more: http://www.omakchronicle.com/news/2015/aug/20/us-forest-service-identifies-injured-dead-firemen/

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http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/investigators-return-to-scene-of-3-firefighters-deaths-near-twisp/

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Zbyszewski was from the small town of Carlton, in Okanogan County. His Facebook page indicates he was active in drama classes and had been a lifeguard at Wagner Memorial Pool in Twisp.

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Zajac lived in Winthrop and was a wildland firefighter with the Forest Service. Originally from Illinois, he received a degree in biology from Case Western Research University in 2010 and a master’s of science degree from the University of South Dakota in 2014, according to his LinkedIn page. He had previously worked as firefighter in New Mexico.

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Details of the deaths were not immediately available, but officials have said the firefighters had been involved in a vehicle accident and that the crew was apparently overtaken by the fire they had been fighting. Four other firefighters were injured in the Twisp fire, including another Forest Service firefighter, two firefighters from the Department of Natural Resources and one DNR contractor.

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.....

[secondvariety]

2. What a tragedy.

Rest in Peace, Brave Souls.

[mountain grammy]

3. Thank you for your service. Rest in peace.

[countryjake]

4. Fire Fighters. This is Just a House. Please Stay Safe...signed Bruce & Mo

Tim Martin@PhotoTimKHQ
This sign, left behind on an evacuated home near Twisp, shows the heart of the people here.

https://mobile.twitter.com/PhotoTimKHQ?p=s


Bruce and Mo are firefighters, themselves, and are also out battling the wildfire.

https://www.facebook.com/SkagitBreaking/posts/1660025140877208

[Historic NY]

5. ..

[freshwest]

6. Brave and true. RIP and:

[uppityperson]

7. Smokey the Bear

[countryjake]

8. DNR is calling for Volunteers. Okanogan wildfire is 100 sq mi bigger than yesterday

Wildfire explodes in size; grows 100 square miles in a day Aug 21, 2015

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Mother-of-fallen-firefighter-He-was-the-center-of-our-lives-322513441.html

TWISP, Wash. - A massive complex of blazes that killed three firefighters in north-central Washington state has grown by more than 100 square miles in a day, and now President Obama has declared the area a disaster area.

Fire spokesman Rick Isaacson said early Friday that the wildfires have grown to just over 252 square miles since Thursday morning. He says they are largely burning uncontrolled as flames keep jumping fire lines.

Isaacson says officials don't know how many homes or other buildings have been destroyed. They have ordered the partial evacuation of the town of Okanogan, which has 2,500 residents. Isaacson says even the fire base camp in Okanogan has been told to be prepared to evacuate.

~snip~

The multitude of large wildfires have so overtaxed firefighters that officials took the unprecedented step of calling for volunteers to help fight the flames.

"Coordinators will review citizens' offers for resources and direct them to where they can be most beneficial," the state Department of Natural Resources said. Volunteers could start applying Friday at centers in the communities of Omak and Colville.

Wishing peace to all of these brave heroes, especially the three fallen and also those still fighting these awful wildfires.

News just now reported that they had wind gusts of 60 miles per hour around Omak this morning.