Tragedy in Idaho: Firefighters Ambushed While Responding to Wildfire
Tragedy in Idaho: Firefighters Ambushed While Responding to Wildfire
A wildfire response in northern Idaho turned into a deadly ambush on Sunday, as firefighters arriving on scene were met with sniper fire from a concealed gunman. Two firefighters are confirmed dead, and a third remains in critical condition following what officials are calling a premeditated attack on public safety personnel.
Attack on Canfield Mountain
The incident began shortly after 1:20 p.m. on Sunday, June 29, when local and state fire crews responded to reports of a wildfire on the east side of Canfield Mountain, just outside Hayden, Idaho. Within 30 minutes, firefighters reported they were taking heavy gunfire from a high vantage point in dense brush.
Initial radio traffic, later confirmed by the Kootenai County Sheriff's Office, revealed chaos on the ground. First responders were pinned down, calling for immediate law enforcement support and air medical evacuation. Some of the earliest transmission excerpts described what firefighters believed was a deliberate ambush, with one firefighter stating, “It’s clear to me this fire was set intentionally to draw us in.”
Shooter Found Dead; Investigation Ongoing
By late evening, tactical teams located the body of a deceased male suspect with a firearm in the area of the shooting. Authorities now believe the shooter acted alone. A shelter-in-place order was lifted shortly thereafter, though the wildfire itself remains active due to the initial suspension of suppression efforts during the active shooter situation.
The suspect’s identity and motives have not yet been publicly released. However, officials confirmed the use of high-powered rifles and described the shooter’s position as “strategically chosen” to maximize harm to responding units.
Federal Response and National Shock
The FBI and other federal agencies joined the response within hours, deploying tactical teams and opening a criminal investigation. Homeland Security officials are monitoring the situation closely. Kootenai County Sheriff Robert Norris described the event as a “heinous and cowardly assault,” while Idaho Governor Brad Little condemned the attack as an affront to all public servants.
“This was an intentional act of violence against those who serve our communities,” said Gov. Little. “Our prayers are with the families of the fallen and injured.”
Community Impact and Next Steps
The names of the fallen have not been released, pending family notification. One firefighter reportedly worked for the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department, and the others were with state or cooperating wildland agencies.
The fire on Canfield Mountain remains uncontained, though air operations and fire crews are expected to resume today under law enforcement protection. Investigators are examining the origins of the fire, which may have been deliberately set to lure emergency personnel—a tactic that raises new alarms in an already dangerous fire season.
Strange Turn of Events
In a strange turn of events this deadly ambush of firefighters in Idaho on Sunday occurred on the anniversary of the deliberate burning of the infamous neo-Nazi compound by the local fire department for a training exercise in 2001. This has caused the right-wing conspiracy mill to add a swing shift, churning out theories. Aryan Nations leader Richard Butler was forced to sell the site in a bankruptcy sale as part of a lawsuit brought by the Southern Poverty Law Center. A subsequent owner allowed it to be burned down as part of a training exercise for local firefighters. As is often the case, it is local government wildland firefighters often first-on-scene in initial attack. If this was specifically targeted at the Coeur d'Alene Fire Department and Kootenai County Fire and Rescue, because they had burned down the facility twenty-four years ago it would make the event even more insidious, if that’s possible.