In northern Idaho’s rugged landscape, two firefighters lost their lives and another was injured after being targeted in a premeditated attack on Sunday afternoon.
The tragic event unfolded when an individual deliberately set a wildfire and subsequently fired upon the emergency teams who responded to control the fire. The responders reached the location around 2 p.m., and by 3 p.m., officials identified a stationary cellphone signal on the eastern side of Canfield Mountain.
The fire quickly spread to over 30 acres, officials said.
During a press conference on Sunday night, Kootenai County Sheriff Robert Norris spoke to FOX News Digital, describing the situation as a “total ambush.” He explained that the attacker had carefully positioned himself to assault the firefighting teams who were tackling the blaze.
The suspect has been identified as 20-year-old Wess Roley, AP News reports. Investigators said they believe Roley acted alone.
“We do believe that the suspect started the fire, and we do believe that it was an ambush and it was intentional,” Norris said. “These firefighters did not have a chance.”
Law enforcement personnel engaged Roley in gunfire as the wildfire continued to burn in the mountain landscape. Following the exchange of gunfire, police discovered his body on the mountainside with a firearm located nearby, Norris confirmed.
“When you have an environment where you don’t know where the bullets are coming from because of the trees and the shrubbery and what have you, it is daunting for police officers, let alone firefighters who are there just to put out the fire,” Norris said.
USA Today reports that Roley lived in Phoenix but had relatives living in Idaho, around an hour away from where the incident took place.
The New York Times reports that the incident marks a tragic escalation in violence against first responders, occurring in an area where wildfire threats are an ongoing concern.
The investigation remains active as authorities work to piece together the circumstances that led to the attack. The names of the firefighters have not yet been released, and police have not yet provided a motive.
The story is developing. Check back for updates.
[Feature Photo: Birds fly through wildfire smoke in the air the day after a shooter ambushed and killed multiple firefighters responding to a wildfire at Canfield Mountain Monday, June 30, 2025, in Coeur D’Alene, Idaho. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)]
