06/29/2026
My heart is heavy today.
My deepest condolences to the families, friends, and fellow firefighters grieving the loss of three wildland firefighters in western Colorado.
Over the years, I've had the privilege of working alongside many of our federal partners. I've come to appreciate that so many employees—whether they work in recreation, trails, OHV, wildlife, timber, or countless other roles—are willing to leave their regular jobs and answer the call when wildfire strikes.
This tragedy hits especially close to home. My thoughts are with everyone across the wildland fire community and all of our federal partners as they mourn this heartbreaking loss.
Thank you to every wildland firefighter for your courage, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment to protecting our communities and public lands.
