Nathan Matthews has died after sustaining burn injuries while battling a fast-moving wildfire near the Colorado-Utah border.

Nathan Matthews, a 43-year-old firefighter from Lincoln, Nebraska, died from injuries sustained during a wildfire battle on June 27. The U.S. Department of the Interior confirmed that Matthews was part of a Helitack crew tasked with initial attack operations on the Knowles Fire in Mesa County, Colorado. Matthews was one of five firefighters caught in a "burnover," a situation where flames spread rapidly and close off escape routes. While three of his colleagues—Emily Barker, Nick Hutcherson, and Sydney Watson—died at the scene, Matthews received medical treatment for his burns before passing away on July 24. The Knowles Fire eventually merged with other blazes to become the Snyder Fire, which burned over 28,000 acres before being fully contained. U.S. Wildland Fire Service Chief Brian Fennessy expressed grief over the loss of Matthews, noting that the four firefighters made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the nation.

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