OKANOGAN COUNTY, Wash. – Ten years have passed since three Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest firefighters died battling the .
On August 19, 2025, Richard Wheeler, Andrew Zajac and Tom Zbyszewski lost their lives after being trapped by the blaze in north-central Washington. A fourth crew member, Daniel Lyon Jr., suffered severe burns and was critically injured.
“I will never forget these men and in honor of them and their great sacrifice, I will never stop fighting to protect all of our fire fighters and communities. My thoughts go out to the survivors, families, friends and colleagues whose lives were forever changed by that day,” Hilary Franz, the former Public Lands Commissioner of Washington state, said.
