Three firefighters die while responding to wildfires along the Utah–Colorado border, officials report. The U.S. Department of the Interior releases the names of three of the firefighters killed: Emily Barker, Nick Hutcherson and Sydney Watson. Separate reporting says two other firefighters are injured; authorities do not identify those injured in at least one account, though they are described as part of a specialized helicopter-deployed crew.

Multiple outlets say the fatalities occur while crews work to contain major fires in the area as wildfire activity increases across the western United States. CBS News reports the firefighters are part of an interagency response to the Knowles and Gore fires near the border. The New York Times also links the fire conditions to an unusually warm winter that leaves less snow than normal in the region.

Authorities describe difficult firefighting conditions in the border area, and other summaries note widespread wildfire impacts across the West during a severe fire season. The exact circumstances of the crash or incident leading to the deaths are not detailed in the provided excerpts.