What started as a routine response to a small brush fire on Canfield Mountain in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, turned into a deadly ambush that left two firefighters dead and another critically injured. Authorities now believe the fire was deliberately set to lure first responders into a calculated and tragic trap.
Around 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, crews were dispatched to a reported wildfire in a popular recreation area. Thirty minutes later, chaos erupted. An unidentified gunman, believed to have been hiding in the woods, opened fire on the firefighters without warning.
Distress calls over emergency radio captured the panic:
“We need law enforcement up here immediately,” a firefighter urgently radioed. “Send law enforcement right now—there’s an active shooter zone. Everybody’s shot up here.”
Kootenai County Sheriff Robert Norris later confirmed that two of the victims were fire personnel. A third firefighter was rushed into surgery with life-threatening injuries.
“It’s clear to me that this fire was set intentionally to draw us in,” one first responder said.
The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) released a somber statement confirming the attack. “Two of our brothers were killed by a sniper, and a third remains in surgery. This was a heinous act of violence,” the statement read. “Please keep them, their families, and all first responders in your thoughts.”
During a press briefing Sunday night, Sheriff Norris detailed the severity of the situation.
“We were actively taking sniper fire,” he said. “This is a fresh, ongoing situation. The area was dangerous and chaotic.”
A SWAT team later located a deceased man on the mountain, a firearm lying beside his body. Investigators believe he was the shooter. His identity has not yet been publicly released. Authorities are now examining evidence that suggests the fire was a deliberate ruse meant to draw emergency personnel into the open.
“We’re exploring the likelihood that the fire was used to bait first responders,” said Kootenai County Sheriff’s Lt. Jeff Howard.
The attack has sent shockwaves through the firefighting and law enforcement communities. Former Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis called it “a worst-case scenario.”
“There were people bleeding out, pinned down behind fire trucks,” Davis told CNN. “It was almost like a battlefield.”
The FBI is now involved in the investigation, and the Department of Homeland Security has been briefed. While the shelter-in-place order for the Canfield Mountain Trailhead and surrounding areas has been lifted, officials urge residents to remain cautious as the wildfire continues to pose risks.
Idaho Governor Brad Little condemned the act as “a heinous, direct assault on our brave firefighters.” In a statement, he said, “Multiple heroic firefighters were attacked today while simply doing their job. I ask all Idahoans to keep them and their loved ones in your prayers.”
What was meant to be a day of service and protection became a devastating reminder of the dangers that first responders face—dangers that now, tragically, include being hunted for doing their job.