COLORADO MOURNS WILDLAND FIREFIGHTERS AS BLAZE RAGES

UPDATE

Colorado is mourning the loss of a federal fire crew battling a blaze that has scorched almost 30,000 acres along the Colorado-Utah border.

The U.S. Wildland Fire Service identified the three firefighters who died Saturday as Emily Barker, 38, of Clinton Township, Michigan, Nick Hutcherson, 27 of Glendale, Arizona, and Sydney Watson, 27, of Warrior, Alabama.

A procession carried the firefighters' bodies from Grand Junction Regional Airport to Community Hospital, the Grand Junction Fire Department said.

Two other firefighters were injured in the tragedy in Mesa County and evacuated by a Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control helicopter, Governor Jared Polis said. He also ordered all flags on state buildings to fly at half-staff.

"The Snyder Fire has merged with the Jones Fire and subsequently overtook the Knowles and Gore fires" the Wildland Fire Service said Monday. "All fire activity is now being managed and reported as the Snyder Fire."

[Photo: Grand Junction Fire, Utah Fire Info]