Idaho firefighter dies while battling Dragon Bravo Fire
Sep 9, 2025, 5:10 PM | Updated: 5:48 pm
As officials estimated the White Sage and Dragon Bravo fires had burned nearly 70,000 combined acres Thursday near the Grand Canyon’s North Rim. Family members who operate a historic inn said businesses in the area face a difficult road ahead. (Melinda Rich Marshall)
(Melinda Rich Marshall)
SALT LAKE CITY — An Idaho firefighter died in the line of duty while assisting in fighting the Dragon Bravo Fire at the Grand Canyon National Park on Monday.
According to the Southwest Area Incident Management Team, J. Hank Hester, 70, from Priest River, Idaho, was supporting with hazard tree removal operations when he suffered a “cardiac emergency.”
Officials said that front-line paramedics attempted to resuscitate Hester, but they were “unsuccessful.”
“Our deepest condolences go out to the Hester family and friends during this very tragic time. Hank is a member of our wildfire family and will be deeply missed,” said Incident Command Matt Rau in the press release.
As of Tuesday, the Dragon Bravo Fire was 80% contained and had burned nearly 14,504 acres on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. The cause of the fire was a lightning strike on July 4.
Related Story: Utahns mourn loss of historic Grand Canyon Lodge in North Rim Fire
