MESA COUNTY, Colo. (RFD News) — Three wildland firefighters were killed this week while responding to a wildfire in Mesa County.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins says two additional firefighters were injured battling the same fire.
The Interior Department says the wildfire has burned more than 28,000 acres and has assembled a Serious Accident Investigation Team to review the line-of-duty deaths and determine what happened.
While the investigation continues, recovery efforts remain underway in burned forests across the country.
The U.S. Forest Service says removing hazard trees, reopening roads and salvaging burned timber helps make forests safe again for public use.
Last year, nearly 78,000 wildfires burned more than 5 million acres across the United States.
