AlQa'dah 5, 1436, Aug 20, 2015, SPA-- Three firefighters were killed Wednesday after their vehicle crashed and was likely consumed by flames as they battled a wildfire in Washington state, authorities said Thursday. The casualties occurred near Twisp as firefighters on several fronts fought against raging wildfires advancing on towns in the north-central part of the state. "The firefighters were engaged in initial attack operations and were involved in a vehicle accident when it is believed that the fire overtook the vehicle," said a statement from Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, relaying information from Okanogan County Sheriff Frank Rogers. It was not immediately clear if the four injured also were involved in the accident. The Forest Service statement identified the dead as U.S. Forest Service firefighters. Of the four injured, two are with the state Department of Natural Resources, one is a DNR contractor, and one is a U.S. Forest Service worker.
