Fourth firefighter dies from injuries sustained during Knowles Fire burnover
On Friday, wildland firefighter Nathan Matthews died from injuries sustained while responding to the Knowles Fire in western Colorado on June 27. Matthews, 43, was part of the Wildland Fire Service and was from Lincoln, Nebraska. He was assigned to the Rifle Helitack crew and was one of five firefighters involved in a burnover while engaged in initial attack operations on the Knowles Fire on the Colorado-Utah border. Three firefighters died at the scene that day—Emily Barker, 38, of Clinton Township, Michigan; Nick Hutcherson, 27, of Glendale, Arizona; and Sydney Watson, 27, of Warrior, Alabama. Nate had been receiving medical care for burn injuries suffered during the incident. U.S. Wildland Fire Service Chief Brian Fennessy said, "This is another heartbreaking loss for our wildland fire family. We mourn the loss of Nate while continuing to grieve the deaths of Emily, Nick, and Sydney. Our hearts are with their families, friends, crewmates, and everyone impacted by this tragedy. We remain committed to supporting those affected and honoring the legacy of all four firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation."
Gold Mountain and Elk Fires continue to burn
And the Gold Mountain Fire continues to burn across 38,000 acres, but firefighters are making headway on containment. This weekend, officials say containment reached 37%. Fire activity remains low to moderate as crews continue patrolling the fire area. Firefighters are using what they call “Minimal Impact Suppression Tactics” (known as MIST) within the Uncompahgre Wilderness. The goal of MIST is to use strategies that will minimize the impact on land and resources that have been identified as valuable. The weekend brought thunderstorms and heavy rains, bringing some much-needed moisture to the area but also posing threats of flash floods.
The Elk Fire is now burning over 2,300 acres with 0% containment. Officials said on Saturday that structure protection efforts are almost complete.
Cost of wildfire suppression efforts starts adding up
The Colorado Sun reports that the monetary costs of these firefighting efforts are adding up. State officials said during a Drought Task Force meeting last week that it could cost taxpayers about $266 million to cover the response, suppression, and recovery for the state’s four largest fires this summer. Colorado currently has 13 large fires and five emerging fires, and 30 to 40 new fires have sparked over the past week, said Duarte, deputy chief for the division’s wildland fire management section.
Delta School Board puts out new request for proposals for legal services, bringing Brad Miller back into public conversation
The Delta School Board continues to face controversy. The board unanimously voted on Thursday evening to reissue a request for proposals for legal counsel. The board had previously issued the request and received proposals but delayed making a decision due to board member absences and the upcoming summer break. Board President Beth Suppes explained at Thursday’s meeting that the decision was made because it had been, quote, a “long enough period of time that we don’t want to use what we have.” The initial request for proposals was met with pushback from residents, who were concerned that it was opening the door to attorney Brad Miller, of Miller Farmer Carlson Law. Miller’s firm now provides legal counsel for the Montrose School District and has faced accusations of asserting a right-wing agenda on the board. Dan Burke, who was a Delta School Board member when the original request for proposals was made, also shared concerns about Miller becoming involved in the district. Suppes has publicly praised Miller’s work, referring to herself as a “big Miller fan” in a previous conversation with KVNF. In a phone call with the Delta County Independent, Suppes reaffirmed that she would still like to see Miller apply but thinks it’s unlikely given his lack of an application during the last request for proposals.
Local resident and the interfaith group Together Colorado sue the town of Hudson over a planned immigration detention center
The lawsuit says Hudson should enforce its land use rules before the facility opens. It argues that the former prison is not zoned for detention use and needs conditional approval from the town. The private prison company GEO Group (JEE-oh Group) has a contract with ICE to reopen the Weld County facility. It will hold about 1,200 detainees. Hudson officials say there’s little they can do to stop the facility from opening because immigration enforcement is a federal issue.
Victor Marx campaign broke campaign finance law, according to Colorado Secretary of State
The state says Republican gubernatorial candidate Victor Marx's campaign violated campaign finance limits during the primary election. For the Colorado Capitol News Alliance, Bente Birkeland has more.
One woman, 2,000 miles, and a quest to keep the Colorado River running
The Colorado River is 1,450 miles long … and one woman is running its entire length. As Hannah Weaver reports for the Mountain West News Bureau from Glenwood Springs, Colorado, the long trek highlights the river’s crisis.
