Hart suffered a hard fall at the Eicks Fire
(United States Forest Service)
BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) — A Wyoming smokejumper has died of injuries suffered last month while fighting a wildfire in New Mexico, the U.S. Forest Service said Thursday.
Tim Hart of Cody, Wyoming, suffered a hard fall on May 24 while responding to a fire in Hidalgo County, New Mexico. He was flown via air ambulance to a hospital in El Paso, Texas, where he died Wednesday evening, the agency said.
Wildland Firefighter: Hotshot Critically Injured Fighting New Mexico Wildfire
“Our hearts go out to Tim’s family, loved ones, friends, fellow Forest Service employees, and the entire wildland fire community and I ask that you keep them in your thoughts and prayers during this time of sorrow while respecting the family’s privacy,” Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen said in a statement.
Hart, 36, was working for the West Yellowstone Smokejumpers based in the Custer Gallatin National Forest in Montana at the time of his death.
He had been a wildland firefighter since 2006, working in North Carolina, Arizona, Oregon, Wyoming and Nevada. He joined the smokejumper program in 2016 and worked his rookie season in Idaho, the agency said. He was based in Montana beginning in 2019.
The cause of his hard fall is still being investigated, said Marna Daley, spokesperson for the Custer Gallatin National Forest.
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United States Forest Service press release,
Forest Service Mourns the Death of Firefighter
Bozeman, June 3, 2021 – U.S. Forest Service morns the loss of wildland firefighter Tim Hart who was fighting fire in New Mexico.
“I am deeply saddened to share that Tim Hart, a Forest Service Smokejumper, has died from injuries sustained on May 24 while responding to the Eicks Fire in Hildago County, New Mexico. Our hearts go out to Tim’s family, loved ones, friends, fellow Forest Service employees, and the entire wildland fire community and I ask that you keep them in your thoughts and prayers during this time of sorrow while respecting the family’s privacy.”
In 2006 he began his wildland firefighting career on the Coconino National Forest and then the Fremont-Winema National Forest as an Engine Crew Member. Then in 2009 he joined the Shoshone National Forest as a Lead Forestry Technician on an Engine and in 2010 detailed to the Asheville Interagency Hotshot Crew as a Lead Firefighter.
Tim worked for the Bureau of Land Management on the Ruby Mountain Hotshot Crew. He joined the smokejumper program in 2016 and re-located to Grangeville, Idaho as a Rookie. In 2019 his wildland firefighter journey took him to West Yellowstone, Montana as a Smokejumper Squad Leader and in 2020 as a Spotter.
Memorial services information is not yet available. For more information: www.fs.usda.gov/custergallatin
Condolences Mailing Address:
c/o Shoshone National Forest
808 Meadow Lane Ave., Cody, WY 82414
Shoshone National Forest will ensure families receive all condolences.
