MESA COUNTY, Colo. — Emily Barker was brave, funny, kind and a natural leader. That is how her family wants her to be remembered after the 27-year-old died fighting the Snyder Fire on the Colorado-Utah state line on Saturday.
"Emily Barker was as fun-loving and reliable as she was brave. A beloved sister, aunt, daughter and friend, she was always there for anyone who needed her and could always bring out a laugh," reads a joint statement from Barker's sister Lisa Karczewski and brother Nick Barker.
Emily Barker, of Michigan, was one of three federal firefighters killed fighting the Snyder Fire burning in Mesa County. She was part of an elite helitack crew based out of Rifle.
Nick Hutcherson, 27, from Arizona and Sydney Watson, 27, from Alabama were identified as the other fallen firefighters. In addition, two firefighters were injured and have been treated for burns.
In a release, the U.S. Wildland Fire Service — a federal department created earlier this year — said all three died during a burnover incident, meaning the wildfire swept over an area and overtook firefighters. They had been trying to shield themselves from the flames with tent-like shelters when they were overcome, the Associated Press reported.
In a statement provided to Denver7, Emily Barker's siblings said that after graduating from Northern Michigan University, she started as a volunteer firefighter with Ironwood Township Fire Department while she studied ski area management at Gogebic Community College in Michigan.
She moved to Colorado after college and spent her winters in Vail. In the summer, she fought wildfires and worked at prescribed burns, her family said. Emily Barker was the first woman to win the "Snowmaker of the Year" award for the State of Colorado. She was honored with this in 2015 while she worked as a snowmaking supervisor at Vail Mountain.
She was close with her colleagues and often served in a mentorship role. Her family described her as a trailblazer.
"Emily’s many hobbies and interests matched her dynamic personality," the family's statement reads. "She was an avid snowboarder and hockey player and enjoyed dirt biking, snowmobiling, hiking and all kinds of travel. She loved animals, camping under the stars, National Parks and, of course, her two nieces and nephew, whom she visited often."
Her vibrant energy lit up a room and she always left a lasting impression, her family said.
Emily Barker is survived by her two siblings Lisa Karczewski and Nick Barker and their families, as well as her mother Rosemary.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis ordered flags to fly at half-staff Monday to honor the fallen firefighters.
"I’m devastated about the loss of three heroic firefighters who died in the line of duty in Western Colorado," Polis said in a statement. "The men and women who serve on the front lines of these fires risk their lives to keep us safe and to protect the lands and communities we love. To the loved ones of those lost, and to their fellow crew members — some who are still battling the flames — know that the State of Colorado mourns alongside you."
The Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire Management Unit reported that the Snyder Fire started after a lightning strike.
Gov. Polis verbally declared a disaster emergency in response to this fire on Saturday.
The Snyder Fire merged with the Jones Fire, and then overtook the Knowles Fire and Gore Fire. Because they have combined, this blaze is known as the Snyder Fire.
This is just one of many wildfires currently burning in Colorado. Denver7 is keeping track of each fire in our story here and below.
Wildfire
Colorado wildfires: Conditions are prime for more fire growth Tuesday
The Forest and Wildland Fire services is investigating the firefighters' deaths.
The AP reports that these investigations typically result in recommendations on how to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Denver7's Maggy Wolanske contributed to this report.
