FRESNO, CA (KMJ) – A fire retardant drop killed a Utah firefighter battling California’s largest blaze, according to a report released on Friday.
Battalion Chief Matthew Burchett died in August while battling the Mendocino Complex Fire.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection says the force of the fire retardant drop from an air tanker knocked an 87-foot Douglas Fir tree on top of him.
According to the Department of Forestry’s report, thousands of gallons of the flame-suppressing liquid were dropped from a Boeing 747 that was mistakenly flying only 100 feet above the treetops.
Three other firefighters were injured in the incident.
