The BC government has confirmed the death of a firefighter responding to a wildfire near Revelstoke. The 19-year-old was identified by her brother as Devyn Gale on Friday.
Nolan Gale says in an Instagram post that his sister was “kind and caring” and that he is grateful to have grown up with her.
Revelstoke RCMP said in a news release that does not name Gale that the firefighter was clearing brush in a remote area where a fire had broken out.
They say her team found her trapped under a fallen tree and started first aid, but she succumbed to her injuries after being airlifted to a hospital in Revelstoke.
A statement from Prime Minister David Eby released Thursday evening offered his condolences.
Calling the tragedy a “tremendous loss for everyone involved with the BC Wildfire Service at an already difficult time,” the statement goes on to say that the tragedy serves as a heartbreaking reminder that firefighters often put their lives on the line to keep residents safe. people and communities.
The Prime Minister offers his condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the victim, who has not been formally identified by authorities, on behalf of all British Columbians.
The death comes as the province appeals for national and international assistance to fight the more than 360 active fires in its territory.
Emergency Management and Climate Preparedness Minister Bowinn Ma said the province has asked for 1,000 additional foreign firefighters to join the 160 from Mexico and the United States already working in British Columbia, and more federal resources to deal with the fires.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also reacted to the tragedy.
“The news from British Columbia that a firefighter bravely battling wildfires has lost her life is heartbreaking. In this terrible ordeal, I offer my deepest condolences to his family, friends and colleagues,” he wrote on Twitter.