Tom Craven, Devin Weaver, Jessica Johnson and Karen FitzPatrick, are killed battling the Thirty Mile Fire, in the North Cascades, of eastern washington.  The United states Forest Service firefighters were prohibited from pulling water—under the Endangered Species Act—from the Chewuch River, because it might disrupt the habitat of varieties of Salmon and Trout in area.

       [added 6/17/2023]

       I feel for them, I spent 3 years, 10 months and 19 days on active duty in the U.S.  Navy, the last 18 months on the USS Bon Homme Richard (CVA31).  It was brought home to me that whole fleets of ships and aircraft, and all of their crews, are as expendable as a .22 cartridge, if that’s the cost of the mission, as determined by the Military Commander.  What they chose to do with their lives always entails a great deal of risk, they could have died within inches of quite proper resources, and be as dead.  I have never read a smokejumper’s contract, but I do hope their families had them insured, or there is a decent settlement, though I would rather the responsible officers pay the costs, this too will require the taxpayers to foot the bill. ——JL