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Minnesota remembers fallen firefighter Isabella Oscarson
Flags in Minnesota are at half-staff for Minnesota firefighter Isabella Oscarson, who was laid to rest this weekend. She died doing the job that she loved. Oscarson was working out in Idaho when she was killed in a tragic accident during a prescribed burn.
WATERTOWN, Minn. - Flags in Minnesota are at half-staff for Minnesota firefighter Isabella Oscarson, who was laid to rest this weekend. She died doing the job that she loved.
Oscarson was working out in Idaho when she was killed in a tragic accident during a prescribed burn.
Remembering Minnesota firefighter Isabella Oscarson
What we know:
This loss is being felt in Minnesota and in Idaho, where she had recently moved. Isabella Oscarson, better known as "Bella," was just 26 years old. She’s from Watertown.
She’s described by co-workers as someone who was a wonderful person, who had a bubbly personality. She worked really hard, enjoyed the outdoors, and wildland firefighting.
"She had many colleagues that thought the world of her. I worked in the Grand Rapids main office for the Minnesota Interagency Fire Center. She would come over quite often, and whenever I saw her, she had a smile on her face," said William Glesener, Wildlife Operations Supervisor for Minnesota DNR.
Oscarson’s dedication to firefighting
What they're saying:
Oscarson started with the Wildland Fire Conservation Corps of Minnesota and Iowa. She was trained by the Minnesota DNR, and then she was a lead firefighter in the Grand Rapids area. Then, in March of this year, she took a job with the Idaho Department of Lands. Officials say she was hit and killed when a tree came down while she was working on a prescribed burn.
"She thoroughly enjoyed firefighting. She traveled all over the country as part of her job with Minnesota. We support other states to our agreements, and when they have a need for firefighters, we step up and help," said Glesener.
Governor Tim Walz released a statement that says in part, "Bella Oscarson dedicated her life to protecting people and nature as a wildland firefighter. Her courage, service, and compassion touched lives across Minnesota, Idaho, and beyond."
According to her obituary, Bella’s crew members meant the world to her, and she appreciated the support of her supervisors, who served as mentors.