BEAVER, Utah, June 24, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — A firefighter with the Bonneville Hotshots was severely injured by a falling tree Sunday while battling the Little Twist Fire in Beaver County.
Daniel Burns was working to contain the wildfire burning about 4 miles southeast of Beaver when a helicopter dropped water on the fire, destabilizing a standing tree and causing it to fall onto him, according to a GoFundMe page for the firefighter.
Kylee Stott, public information officer for the Little Twist Fire, described Burns’ injuries as “severe.”
“The BLM and United States Forest Service (USFS) would like to thank the quick actions of first responders and all the medical personnel that provide medical care,” Stott said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with our teammate on his road to healing.”
Burns was struck on the head and shoulders, and pinned to the ground, according to Evan Hill, who organized the online fundraiser.
Burns, a Marine Corps veteran and first-year member of the Bonneville Hotshots, sustained broken bones in his shoulder and face, and was transported by medical helicopter to a St. George hospital, the GoFundMe page says.
“While Bonneville Interagency Hotshot Crew feels blessed Burns survived, we remain deeply concerned about his road to recovery and ability to provide for himself while missing the rest of the 2024 Fire Season,” Hill writes.
“Please help us financially support him and make up for the lost wages, medical and recovery related bills, and living expenses as he fights to return to full strength.”
