A wildland firefighter from Arizona died while battling the Frijoles Fire in New Mexico, officials have announced.
Randy Lupe, 62, reportedly died following a medical emergency while fighting the fire burning in northern New Mexico on Sunday.
Lupe, a member of the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation in Arizona, was acting as a Wildland Fire Service temporary emergency support crewmember on the San Carlos camp crew at the time.
"We are profoundly saddened by the loss of a wildland fire crewmember who died while supporting firefighting efforts,” said U.S. Wildland Fire Service Chief Brian Fennessy in a press release. “Every member of our wildland fire workforce plays a vital role in our emergency response efforts, and this loss is felt across the entire wildland fire community. Our thoughts are with his family, loved ones, friends and crewmates at this difficult time.”
According to The Department of the Interior, the Frijoles Fire has burned more than 15,000 acres near Santa Fe as of Tuesday morning.
No additional details were immediately available, and the Department of the Interior said they would not be releasing more information about the medical incident.
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