It has been one of the deadliest years in recent memory for firefighters battling blazes in Canada. Here is what we know about the four firefighters killed while on duty in Canada in July.
Devyn Gale, 19
Gale died July 13 while fighting a wildfire near Revelstoke, B.C. Police say the young firefighter was clearing brush in a remote area near a wildfire when her team found her pinned under a fallen tree.
Gale, who died after being airlifted to hospital, was a former member of the B.C. gymnastics team and a star pupil at her high school. Her family said Gale was considerate, hardworking, and did everything out of kindness.
Adam Yeadon, 25
Yeadon died July 15 while fighting a wildfire near his home in Fort Liard, N.W.T., a hamlet north of the British Columbia border. Family have indicated Yeadon was injured by a tree.
Yeadon’s father said the young man loved his job as a woodland firefighter and had been doing it for several years.
He is described as “brave, kind and full of humour,” and leaves behind a partner and a two-year-old girl.
Ryan Gould, 41
Gould died when the helicopter he was piloting alone crashed near Haig Lake, 140 kilometres northeast of Peace River, Alta., on July 19.
The pilot, described by family and friends as a “panda” for his big stature and kind heart, was the sole provider for his family consisting of his wife and two young boys. The family had recently bought a farm south of Gould’s hometown of Whitecourt, Alta., after living in southern Alberta.
Zak Muise, 25
The young firefighter originally from Waterford, Ont., died on July 28 in northeastern B.C. when his heavy-duty ATV rolled over a steep drop on a gravel road 150 kilometres north of Fort St. John.
Muise, who was fighting the Donnie Creek wildfire at the time of his death, was described by a childhood friend as a “really nice guy” that was competitive but “never mean” and “always good to be around.”
READ MORE: Fundraiser honours Zak Muise, who died fighting wildfire in B.C.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 2, 2023.
The Canadian Press
