Blistering heat and strong winds stoked wildfires across the West, resulting in the deaths of three firefighters in Colorado. The firefighters were part of an interagency response to the Knowles and Gore fires, which merged with other fires to form the Snyder Fire.

Wildfire Conditions Critical

The National Weather Service warned of ‘extreme fire behavior’ along the Utah-Colorado border, with ‘rapid fire growth’ likely. The U.S. Wildland Fire Service and U.S. Forest Service expressed grief and support for the loved ones of the fallen firefighters.

The largest blaze, the Cottonwood Fire, burned out of control in rugged terrain in southwest Utah, destroying part of a ski resort. Firefighters worked to contain the fire, using bulldozers to scrape away brush and trees.

Temperatures in Grand Junction, east of the fire, hit a high of 93 degrees Fahrenheit, with winds gusting to 44 mph. The Mesa County Sheriff’s Office asked people to evacuate the potential path of the fire and to turn on irrigation water to saturate the land.

Original reporting: Dallas TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.