Firefighter dies while combating wildfire near Wenatchee
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WENATCHEE, Wash. (AP) - A firefighter has died after falling ill while helping battle a blaze north of Wenatchee, officials said Tuesday, as crews struggled to contain dozens of wildfires throughout the state of Washington.
The timber faller working north of Entiat became ill on the fire line Monday afternoon and was transported to a hospital. The man, Chris Seelye of Darby, Mont., died later that evening, authorities said.
He was among more than 4,000 firefighters battling blazes that were sparked by lightning earlier this month in central Washington. Fires burning on more than 87 square miles were 22 percent contained.
Weak winds and stagnant conditions that have allowed smoke to hover over much of the region and impair air quality were expected to continue for several days. Hazardous air quality warnings were issued for Ellensburg and Wenatchee, where residents were advised to remain indoors, limit physical activity and close doors and windows.
Near the rural town of Liberty, about 25 miles northwest of Ellensburg, Gov. Chris Gregoire planned to visit residents and attend a community meeting Tuesday to reiterate evacuation warnings. The road leading to the town is one of several closed in the area.
Residents of about 130 homes have been ordered to evacuate in Kittitas County, though many have declined to leave their homes. Fires in the area have burned more than 6,000 acres, or more than 9 square miles.
Elsewhere on Tuesday:
-A cluster of fires in Yakima County and part of Kittitas County was 15 percent contained at 2,198 acres. Nearly 700 firefighters were assigned to those blazes.
-Nearly 500 firefighters worked to contain the Okanogan Complex of wildfires in Okanogan County, where about 60 homes were threatened. The fires have burned 4,711 acres, or about 7 square miles.
- The Cascade Creek Fire in Klickitat County covered 6,853 acres and was 10 percent contained.
The timber faller working north of Entiat became ill on the fire line Monday afternoon and was transported to a hospital. The man, Chris Seelye of Darby, Mont., died later that evening, authorities said.
He was among more than 4,000 firefighters battling blazes that were sparked by lightning earlier this month in central Washington. Fires burning on more than 87 square miles were 22 percent contained.
Weak winds and stagnant conditions that have allowed smoke to hover over much of the region and impair air quality were expected to continue for several days. Hazardous air quality warnings were issued for Ellensburg and Wenatchee, where residents were advised to remain indoors, limit physical activity and close doors and windows.
Near the rural town of Liberty, about 25 miles northwest of Ellensburg, Gov. Chris Gregoire planned to visit residents and attend a community meeting Tuesday to reiterate evacuation warnings. The road leading to the town is one of several closed in the area.
Residents of about 130 homes have been ordered to evacuate in Kittitas County, though many have declined to leave their homes. Fires in the area have burned more than 6,000 acres, or more than 9 square miles.
Elsewhere on Tuesday:
-A cluster of fires in Yakima County and part of Kittitas County was 15 percent contained at 2,198 acres. Nearly 700 firefighters were assigned to those blazes.
-Nearly 500 firefighters worked to contain the Okanogan Complex of wildfires in Okanogan County, where about 60 homes were threatened. The fires have burned 4,711 acres, or about 7 square miles.
- The Cascade Creek Fire in Klickitat County covered 6,853 acres and was 10 percent contained.
My boyfriend is fighting the same fire on which this guy died as we speak. The conditions under which they work are extremely hazardous, and many of them are sick at this point. There are an endless number of ways to be injured in that environment, and people are being hurt on these fires every day. They don't get the same protective gear that  structure firefighters get, so they are also constantly breathing in the smoke and have ash falling on their heads. They are sleeping on the ground in tents at night and climbing the mountains again the next morning, and my boyfriend is to the point of coughing up blood. Yet, he got up off of the ground before dawn this morning to go back out and do it all over again, and you can't take that away from true heroes like these men and women. Even if the firefighter had an underlying condition, be rest assured that the fire contributed to his death. Please say a prayer for all of these heroes when you lay your head down in your comfy bed to go to sleep tonight.
My prayers go out to Mr Seelye's family! Much respect to all those who put their lives on the line for us to be safe. Â
Something that should be kept in mind for those of us with a personal stake in these fires, or these fires in general. Every year as we put less into preventative maintenance of our wildlands, our potential for true disaster goes up. Now consider this faller. He wasn't just a faller, folks. We don't just let any logger with a saw join firebreakers in a hot zone. This guy was likely an experienced hand that had gradual toxicity buildup which dropped him sometime near the end of his strength. And the greener hands all over know it, as well as the extreme workload demanded inside the zone in general. Each time something like this happens, we get more experience attrition the next year. I haven't fought a fire in years, but my family is right there in the hottest parts of those fires, getting other crews ahead of their fire intercept marks before moving to the next. A green hand will see the real differences in ability between themselves and the experienced operators today, just like yesterday. Now if they see this, and an experienced hand is still dead, how good do they need to be to live this year, and be fully prepared next? Knowing as we all do how much less is put into our woods each year, this state in particular has much more reason to be thankful for our out of state or country volunteers willing to hazard their lives in this environment for laborers pay.
To the man who said something to the effect of " the fire is 10 miles away...". Do you have any idea how fast a wildfire moves in this type of weather and wind and humidity?? There is a reason the fire went from 3,000 acres one day to 6,000 the next. The people fighting this fire are experts.. if they tell you to GET OUT, then GET out !! They know what they are doing - they are out there to protect YOU and your HOME and your LOVED ONES. If you are advised to leave... then DO!!! They certainly don't need the added stress of YOU deciding to stay, while they are trying to save YOU, YOUR HOME AND EVERYONE ELSE.
Thoughts and prayers to the friends and family. Wildland firefighting is hard work. I have a ton of respect for these men and women.
So sorry to hear this... my condolences to the firefighter, family, and crew. Our wildland firefighters work their tails off in impossible conditions to protect their neighbors and fellow citizens. Thanks for all you do out there.
a sad news, dam* it! Â r.i.p. sir... Â all your selfless and heroic acts will stay within the hearts of many...
 @CIAassassin amen!
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Rest in peace Hero. Thank you for everything.
Although the article doesn't say why the firefighter became ill, it is still very sad.
My sincere condolances go out to his family and friends... I am sure he will be missed..
Oh dang it. I was hoping this wouldn't happen.
Thoughts and prayers to his family and friends during their time of sorrow and grief.
I helped with a minor weed clean up last week beside the Duwamish river. Pulling Morning Glory stuff. after an hour I was thinking I could just die it was so freaking hot. I was also thinking how do those firefighters do stuff even more strenuous than this and do it for days on end in heat and conditions worse than anything I can encounter. My Prayers are with this Fire Fighters Family they are true Heros to put themselves in positions of danger and discomfort for long duration of time just so our homes, lives and cities can be safe. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for all you've done for us.
This is very sad news. These men and women do incredible work under incredibly difficult conditions. My condolences to this firefighter's family and friends.
So sad.
Goes to show you how dangerous fighting fires really is.
 @mstipton This shows no such thing! This article gives NO information about how the firefighter died or what the person died FROM. While I love our firefighters and support them fully, and am sad that one has died from WHATEVER the cause was, it can't be assumed that he died from 'danger' and not because of some other reason.
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Again, RIP to the firefighter, but please don't jump to conclusions.
@Commenter87643 @mstipton Dude, CALM DOWN. The AP story probably does not have any further information, because as of the time it was printed and published, there probably was no further info. I cant believe you just went off like that; the more important thing is that a firefighter died, and left a family behind.
 @northwestsurfer  @Commenter87643  @mstipton I said NOTHING that would in any way lessen the sympathy anyone should feel for the firefighter, and I expressed sympathy for his/her loss. I 'went off' on someone jumping to conclusions, as in this forum, cause and effect are often divorced.
 @Commenter87643  @mstipton Can you think of any other immediate reason that may have killed him? Perhaps they didn't feel the need to include the details since it seems pretty obvious it would be related to the fire somehow.
 @Commenter87643  @mstipton Does it matter if he was crushed my a falling burning tree or if he had a heart attack. No matter what this person was doing was by and large more than what I was doing at the time. This person was trying to make a difference by being there. Myself.. I was probably sitting on the couch resting my tired ass while complaining about the haze blocking my view.Â
@Doug @Commenter87643 @mstipton Thank you for responding. It so angered me for the shallowness shown. No matter how the person died, he/she died saving property, lives, animals and trees for all of us!
 @Doug  @Commenter87643  @mstiptonÂ