Firefighter, 24, died after being struck by a tree battling La. wildfire
The U.S. Forest Service paid tribute to Kaitlyn "KK" Gallagher, 24, who died while responding to the Broken Creek Fire, in Rapides Parish, Louisiana.
The U.S. Forest Service is paying tribute to a firefighter who died in the line of duty this week while battling a wildfire that was burning in Louisiana’s Kisatchie National Forest.
Big picture view:
Kaitlyn "KK" Gallagher was struck by a tree while responding to help get the Broken Creek Fire under control, the Forest Service explained.
What they're saying:
"As we experience this terrible tragedy, our prayers are with KK’s family, friends, and all who knew her," Forest Supervisor Lisa Lewis said. "The loss of KK is deeply felt throughout the Forest Service, the entire wildland fire community, and our local community. We extend our deepest condolences to everyone who was touched by her life."
The backstory:
The Broken Creek Fire spread across 10 acres of Rapides Parish, which is on Kisatchie National Forest land, before being brought under control.
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What's next:
The Forest Service stated in its post that the agency is offering support for Gallagher’s family, crewmates, and other coworkers. Its honor guard plans to provide a flag memorial service in her honor.
Dig deeper:
According to the Forest Service, Gallagher joined the federal agency in 2025 as a wildland firefighter apprentice and went on to spend two summers in Wyoming, at Shoshone National Forest.
At Kisatchie, she assisted on prescribed burns and wildfires, and the agency said about her time there, "Her joy for life, heart for service, and love of outdoors made her a valued member of the U.S. Forest Service."
The Source: Information for this article was taken from the U.S. Forest Service. This story was reported from Orlando.