Two firefighters were shot and killed, and a third was seriously injured after being ambushed while responding to a wildfire in North Idaho. The suspected gunman is also dead.
Authorities say the incident occurred during what began as a routine emergency call. Fire crews arrived on the scene of a developing wildfire and were met with gunfire. The reasons behind the act are still being pieced together.
The shock hasn’t worn off. Everyone knows it’s one of their own in the hospital, even if the name isn’t public. In a town this small, violence like this cuts deep—and no one’s sure how to start healing.
As one resident quietly shared, “We’re all mourning. But when it’s your loved one—your father, husband, or close friend—the grief becomes something else. You expect danger, yes. But not this kind.”
Several people gathered at a nearby firehouse following the news. Many brought food, flowers, and notes. Some stood in silence. Others cried openly.
“It’s a hard job,” one firefighter said. “Danger comes with it. But this? This wasn’t supposed to happen. And they stood there anyway. They did what they were trained to do.”
In a public message shared later, a family member thanked those showing support.
“I feel for the families and for our firefighters who are mourning right now,” the message said. “I’ll be on my knees in prayer for them. You never expect this. You don’t say goodbye thinking it’ll be the last time.”
The shooting happened on January 29, a date residents say will stay with them.
At a vigil, one speaker said, “They faced it with courage and honor. I’m proud of them. We honor them.”
Another added, “We live in a special community, with special people. And those we lost will always be part of us. Husbands. Friends. Fathers. We won’t forget.”
Did the gunman know the people he killed? Officials don’t have answers yet. But for the community, that question can wait.
The real focus is on the quiet work of healing. People are gathering, making a silent promise to each other that the survivors won’t be abandoned.
This part of the world has seen fire before, but the cold, sharp grief from this ambush is different. It’s the wound that has everyone’s attention now.
