According to the Serious Accident Investigation Team, the helicopter was unable to land because smoke in the area had reduced visibility to “near zero”

Seth Klamann
The Denver Post

DENVER — A helicopter unsuccessfully attempted to pick up five firefighters just before a fire overtook them, killing three of the firefighting crew and fatally injuring another on Colorado’s Western Slope, according to a preliminary report by federal investigators.

The helicopter was unable to land because smoke in the area had reduced visibility to “near zero,” the Serious Accident Investigation Team wrote, and the firefighting crew instead attempted to deploy emergency shelters when the fire swept over them. The crew had reported a fire near them roughly 20 minutes before.

The firefighters were part of a helicopter-deployed team based in Garfield County that was fighting the Knowles fire in extreme conditions on June 27 in western Colorado . Firefighters Emily Barker , Nick Hutcherson and Sydney Watson were killed in the burnover, which occurs when a fire overtakes firefighters or their equipment. Last week, firefighter Nathan Matthews died of the injuries he sustained in the incident. A fifth firefighter who was also injured is still recovering, fire officials wrote in the report.

The update provides the most detailed timeline about the incident yet released by federal officials, who are still investigating the deadly burnover. An initial crew of firefighters began staffing the fire at about 9:36 a.m. that day Around 12:30 p.m. , a lightning strike lit a new fire near the Snyder Mesa and Jones fires, which were about eight miles east of the Knowles fire. The fires would all merge into the Snyder fire.

Shortly before 3 p.m. , fire personnel discussed picking up the crew with a helicopter, according to the report, and the crew reported that there was a fire near their location. Ten minutes later, a helicopter was on its way to pick them up and expected to arrive within minutes.

Related news:

• 3 firefighters killed in Colo. burnover identified
• Colo. burnover among deadliest U.S. wildfire tragedies in years
• Fourth firefighter dies after Colo. wildfire burnover

Download the Knowles Fire Entrapment Fatalities SAIT Update 1 PDF:

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