A Tragic Ambush: Two Firefighters Killed in Idaho During Brushfire Response

On June 29, 2025, a devastating and calculated attack unfolded in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, claiming the lives of two firefighters and leaving a third critically wounded as they responded to a brushfire on Canfield Mountain.

Described by authorities as a deliberate ambush, the incident has stunned the local community and raised concerns about the safety of first responders.

The Incident: A Deadly Trap Unfolds

The sequence of events began at approximately 1:21 p.m. MDT, when the Kootenai County Sheriff's Office received a report of a small brushfire on the east side of Canfield Mountain, a popular recreational area just north of Coeur d'Alene. Firefighters from the Coeur d'Alene Fire Department, Kootenai County Fire and Rescue, and the Northern Lakes Fire District were dispatched to contain what appeared to be a routine vegetation fire. However, the situation quickly escalated into a nightmare.

Around 2:00 p.m., roughly 40 minutes after the initial call, the firefighters came under heavy gunfire. The attack, carried out with a high-powered rifle, was sudden and relentless. Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris described it as a "total ambush," noting that the firefighters "did not have a chance."

Radio communications captured the chaos, with one firefighter urgently pleading, "Everybody's shot up here... send law enforcement now." The rugged terrain of Canfield Mountain—dense with trees and brush—offered little protection, leaving the responders vulnerable as they sought cover behind equipment or attempted to retreat.

Law enforcement arrived within minutes, only to face gunfire themselves. The suspect, later identified as 20-year-old Wess Roley, appeared to shoot from multiple positions, exploiting the mountain’s trails and wooded cover. Authorities now believe the fire, dubbed the Nettleton Gulch Fire, was intentionally set by Roley to lure the firefighters into his trap.