Falling tree kills firefighter in Willamette National Forest

By Jamie Diep
Aug. 11, 2022 11:13 p.m.

A firefighter died on Tuesday after he was hit by a falling tree in southern Lane County.

In a statement, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said that Collin Hagan, 27, was working on the Big Swamp Fire outside Oakridge. He was part of the Craig Interagency Hotshot crew based in Colorado.

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Although he received help from emergency medical service personnel on the scene, Hagan died from his injuries.

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Alex Robertson of the U.S. Forest Service said hotshot firefighters are the frontline in fire support, and they often work in challenging conditions such as the terrain in the Willamette National Forest.

“It’s one of our most difficult environments that we put our folks in, hence the reason that we have so many challenges with fires in that landscape,” Robertson said.

Robertson said local agencies are focused on supporting Hagan’s family, the crew he worked with, and firefighters working in other areas.

“When something like this happens, it’s far-reaching,” Robertson said. “You don’t have to necessarily be part of the incident at the scene of the accident to be deeply impacted by it.”

Almost 160 people are helping battle the Big Swamp Fire, which has grown to 117 acres.

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