Leslie R. Washington, a wildland firefighter from Noorvik in Northwest Alaska, died Tuesday, Aug. 11, after suffering a medical emergency while assigned to suppression efforts on the Bear Trap fire near Ely, Minnesota, officials said.
Washington was working with the K-River 2 crew operated by Scorched Earth Services, a Fairbanks-based wildfire suppression contractor. The crew is one of the U.S. Wildland Fire Service contracted crews that deploy from Alaska to incidents elsewhere in the country, the company and federal partners said.
Incident and immediate response
According to the Superior National Forest, the medical incident occurred at about 10:40 a.m. near Ely, a small city north of the Minnesota–Ontario border. The firefighter was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Scorched Earth Services confirmed Washington was part of the K-River 2 crew and said the company and the wildland fire community are providing support to his family and to the community of Noorvik.
“More information will be provided in coming days — both from S.E.S Fire, the U.S. Wildland Fire Service agency and the wildland fire community — but right now our hearts are with his family, the community of Noorvik, Alaska and the Inupiaq people of the Northwest Arctic,” the company said. “These next few days we will do our best to honor Leslie and bring him back home to Noorvik in a good way.”
Officials have released few additional details about the circumstances of the medical emergency. Scorched Earth Services and U.S. Forest Service representatives did not immediately respond to follow-up questions Wednesday.
Where the fire stands
The Bear Trap fire has burned about 30,000 acres since it was discovered roughly a month ago and is one of several active incidents in the Superior National Forest. The fire is burning in a remote area near the Canadian border and has attracted multiple crews and resources from across the region.
| Known detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Victim | Leslie R. Washington of Noorvik, Alaska |
| Assignment | Scorched Earth Services, K-River 2 crew |
| Date of incident | Tuesday, Aug. 11 |
| Location | Bear Trap fire area, near Ely, Minnesota |
| Fire size | Approximately 30,000 acres |
Community impact and response
Washington’s death has reverberated through his home community of Noorvik and among the broader Northwest Alaska Inupiaq population. Scorched Earth Services said first responders held a procession following his death, and the company indicated it was coordinating efforts to return his body home and to support his family.
Officials noted Washington was one of about 20 staff and crew members Scorched Earth had working in the area. The company said more information would be shared in the coming days through the wildland fire community and federal agencies.
Why Alaskans are deployed out of state
Alaskan crews, including those contracted by companies such as Scorched Earth Services, frequently deploy to large or complex fires in the Lower 48. These crews are part of the nationally coordinated wildland fire response system that moves trained personnel and equipment where the need is greatest during busy fire seasons.
When incidents result in injury or death, the national incident management system and employing organizations work together to investigate and to assist families. In this case, Scorched Earth Services and the U.S. Wildland Fire Service have indicated they will provide additional information as it becomes available.
What officials are saying and next steps
Federal and company spokespeople have declined to provide further comment beyond the statement released Tuesday night. The Superior National Forest and Scorched Earth Services said additional details will be released in coming days as they coordinate with family members and local authorities.
- Scorched Earth Services is handling repatriation and support for the family.
- The U.S. Wildland Fire Service is involved through contracted crew oversight.
- Investigations and official notifications will proceed according to interagency protocols.
As the story develops, WE NEWS will continue to monitor federal and company releases and will update readers as more details emerge about the circumstances of Washington’s death and arrangements for his return to Noorvik.
— Erik Lindgren, State Correspondent
