Arizona firefighter killed in Colorado remembered as a hero

Nicholas Hutcherson, 27, was one of three federal wildland firefighters who died June 27 responding to what is now called the Snyder Fire. The fire is burning about 30,000 acres west of Grand Junction, Colorado, at the Utah border.

The U.S. Interior Department, which confirmed the deaths, said Hutcherson was from Glendale, but he recently lived in Flagstaff, according to public records. He was assigned to the Pittman Valley Helitack Crew at North Kaibab National Forest.

Hutcherson was an amateur Muay Thai fighter who trained at Flagstaff's Southside Combat Academy, according to a post on social media by his coach, Frank Bamford. Bamford said Hutcherson was a U.S. Navy veteran.

"You went out fighting like the warrior you are in the line of duty," Bamford wrote, adding that Hutcherson would be remembered for his bravery and "unconquerable spirit."

The martial arts gym said in a post: "If you met Nick, you loved Nick. He was such a gentle and genuine soul. We are still in disbelief. A hero. Dedicated to service of others above himself. Kind. Intentional. Passionate. A warrior in all respects of the word."

A GoFundMe has been set up to help Hutcherson's family with expenses. The page says Hutcherson dedicated his work to "protect communities, public lands, and his fellow firefighters with courage, professionalism, and selflessness." He died "serving the people and places he cared so deeply about," it said. More than $42,000 had been raised as of Tuesday evening.

Other firefighters killed were Emily Barker, 38, of Michigan, and Sydney Watson, 26, of Alabama, according to the Interior Department. Two others were hospitalized with burn injuries after the June 27 incident, which federal officials described as "a burnover incident resulting in shelter deployment."

The western Colorado wildfire is being managed by the Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team, which combines resources from federal agencies to respond to major wildland fires. The fire has closed public recreation areas and forced the evacuation of a nearby campground, according to the incident management team.

The team's Operations Section Chief Nick Ostrom said on June 29 that crews were attacking the fire on the south end for "direct extinguishment/containment" and sending crews east as more firefighters arrived. Ostrom said the weather on June 29 was less windy and more favorable for firefighters, but an update on June 30 predicted continuing critical conditions — hot temperatures and high winds — that could fuel the fire.

As of June 30, 133 firefighters were on scene, and more would be arriving.