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Nathan Matthews
Helitack Crewmember
U.S. Wildland Fire Service, Upper Colorado River Management Unit, Rifle Interagency Helitack
Rifle, Colorado
Age: 43
Sex: Male
Classification: Wildland Full-Time
Years of service: 11
Date of incident: 06/27/2026
Date of death: 07/24/2026
Firefighters from the Rifle Interagency and Pittman Valley Helitack Crews were involved in a burnover event while responding to initial attack fires in the Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire Management Unit (UCR). Nathan Matthews (USWFS - UCR) was medivacked to a burn unit. Despite these efforts, Helitack Crewmember Matthews succumbed to his injuries on July 24, 2026. Sydney Watson (USWFS - UCR), Emily Barker (USFS - UCR), and Nick Hutcherson (USFS – Kaibab NF) died at the scene.
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