WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators John Curtis (R-UT), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Mike Lee (R-UT), and John Hickenlooper (D-CO) introduced a bipartisan resolution honoring all those who serve on the front lines of wildland firefighting efforts in the United States.
“Behind every wildfire are brave men and women who embody the very best of public service: courage, selflessness, and an unwavering commitment to protecting our communities, often at great personal risk,” said Senator Curtis. “Since this resolution was introduced, it was confirmed that Utah has lost two more heroic individuals in a helicopter crash while fighting the Widemouth 2 Fire. My heart is with the families, friends, and fellow firefighters mourning the devastating loss of these brave Americans.”
“Our hearts are with the families, loved ones, and fellow firefighters grieving the loss of the five wildland firefighters who gave their lives protecting others,” said Senator Bennet. “Today’s resolution honors the courage, sacrifice, and service of those who risk their lives to keep their fellow Americans safe during wildfires.”
“Last month, five courageous firefighters gave their lives to protect the people we love and the frontier we call home,” said Senator Lee. “These brave Americans from across the country dropped into the eye of the storm via helicopter to fight the wildfires ripping through Utah’s eastern border. Their sacrifice will always be remembered in the lands they protected. Utah’s prayers are with the families grieving these heroes.”
“The bravery and heroism of these firefighters deserve our deepest gratitude,” said Senator Hickenlooper. “Our hearts are with the families and friends of these heroic men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice protecting lives, homes, and the landscapes we all cherish.”
Background:
Utah fire seasons typically begin in July and end in October. Not even through the second month of the 2026 fire season, Utah has already experienced 820 total wildfires with over 514,000 acres burned in 2026.
This has also been one of the deadliest fire seasons. The resolution, formally introduced on August 7, honors Emily Barker, Nicholas Hutcherson, Sydney Watson, and Nathan Matthews, who recently lost their lives fighting fires along the Utah-Colorado border, as well as Nicholas Dale, who died fighting the Gold Mountain Fire in Colorado. Since then, two firefighters were tragically confirmed killed in a helicopter crash while fighting the Widemouth 2 Fire in central Utah.
Senator Curtis has made wildfire prevention and forest resilience a central legislative priority, championing bipartisan solutions that focus on reducing catastrophic wildfire risk before fires start. As a lead sponsor of the Fix Our Forests Act, Curtis is working to accelerate hazardous fuels reduction, improve forest management, streamline permitting for high-priority projects, and strengthen coordination among federal, state, tribal, and local partners. The bill passed the House and has broad bipartisan support in the Senate. Curtis has also co-led the bipartisan Wildfire Emissions Prevention Act, which removes regulatory barriers to the use of prescribed burns—one of the most effective tools for preventing catastrophic wildfires—while ensuring states are not penalized for taking proactive forest management actions.
The text of the resolution is available here.