VIRGINIA CITY — A firefighter died Sunday afternoon while fighting the Bivens Creek Fire in southwest Montana.
According to Northern Rockies Team 6 Incident Commander Rich Cowger, the firefighter was actively involved in fire suppression on the ground when he suffered a cardiac emergency. Medical assistance was provided by a line paramedic; however, resuscitation attempts were unsuccessful.
WATCH: Firefighter Suffers Fatal Cardiac Emergency on Bivens Creek Fireline
"Our hearts go out to his family and friends. The wildland fire community is inherently interagency, and a line-of-duty death impacts us all," Cowger said in a statement. "We deeply appreciate this firefighter’s dedication to his profession and to the communities threatened by wildland fire."
As of Sunday night, the Bivens Creek Fire, located 10 miles east of Sheridan, is burning at 2,242 acres and is zero percent contained. A total of 741 people are working on the fire, which was caused by lightning.
