Pictured is Leslie R. Washington, 41, of Noorvik, Alaska, who died while responding to wildfire in northern Minnesota. ( Photo courtesy of U.S. Department of the Interior) (Supplied)
ELY, Minn. (FOX 9) - Flags are flying at half-staff across Minnesota to honor a firefighter who died while responding to the Bear Trap Fire in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
Flags lowered to honor fallen firefighter
The backstory:
Leslie R. Washington, 41, of Noorvik, Alaska, died on Tuesday after a medical emergency while responding to the Bear Trap Fire in northeastern Minnesota, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior.
Gov. Tim Walz ordered all United States and Minnesota flags at state buildings to be flown at half-staff starting Thursday in remembrance of Washington.
What they're saying:
In a statement, Walz called Washington’s service "admirable and unparalleled," saying, "Minnesotans are eternally grateful for his sacrifice, and we are wrapping our arms around his crew and loved ones."
U.S. Wildland Fire Service Chief Brian Fennessy also shared condolences, saying, "We are heartbroken at the loss of a wildland firefighter who died while protecting others. We mourn alongside his families, loved ones, friends and crewmates as they face this profound loss. Please join me and my family in keeping the family of the fallen in our thoughts and prayers."
Who was Leslie Washington?
Dig deeper:
Washington was a wildland firefighter with Scorched Earth Services, assigned to the company’s K-River 2 contract crew supporting federal wildfire response.
Before coming to Minnesota, Washington and his crew traveled throughout rural Alaska to protect communities, property and natural resources from wildfires.
Federal officials have not released additional information about the medical emergency out of consideration for Washington's family.
Bear Trap Fire
This browser does not support the Video element.
MN wildfires: Progress made, some evacuations dropped
Fire officials report progress on containing the wildfires in Northern Minnesota after three weeks of burning. With roughly 70,000 acres scorched across the region—including the 30,000-acre Bear Trap Fire—crews have made meaningful progress, allowing some Boundary Waters Canoe Area day-use entry points to reopen and several evacuation zones in Lake and St. Louis counties to be reduced.
Big picture view:
The Bear Trap Fire has burned nearly 30,000 acres in the Superior National Forest near Ely and is 44% contained.
The wildfire is part of the July Lightning event, a collection of wildfires in northern Minnesota's Superior National Forest and Boundary Waters Canoe Area that were ignited by a series of lightning strikes. The wildfires have burned over 74,000 acres in the U.S. and Canada.
The Source: This story uses previous FOX 9 reporting and information from a Gov. Tim Walz statement and DOI press release.