Three firefighters dead as wildfires rage across the West

A weekend of dangerous heat, strong winds and a historic drought spurred the explosive growth of scores of wildfires across the West — including a blaze that killed three federal firefighters — with few signs of relief in the days ahead. The three federal firefighters were killed in Colorado on Saturday while battling the Knowles Fire along the Colorado-Utah border, according to the U.S. Wildland Fire Service. Emily Barker, 38, Nick Hutcherson, 27, and Sydney Watson, 27, had been assigned to the Rifle Helitack crew — a highly trained unit that specializes in quickly suppressing new fires in rugged terrain. Amid powerful wind gusts and temperatures above 90 degrees, the fast-moving blaze suddenly overtook the crew, forcing them to deploy emergency shelters designed to reflect heat and trap breathable air. Two others who survived the incident are being treated for burn injuries, the agency said.