Assistant Fire Chief Dies In Wildfire

SEATTLE (AP) – Authorities say a volunteer assistant fire chief has died after being badly burned during a forest fire in Eastern Washington last month.

KOMO-TV reports that 55-year-old Christian Dean Johnson died Wednesday at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where he had been in intensive care.

Johnson worked with Okanogan County Fire District 3. He was in a truck with another firefighter at the Spring Coulee Fire south of Okanogan when flames overtook them. The other firefighter outran the fire, but came back, treated Johnson and called for help.

Johnson was flown to Harborview. Doctors said he had burns over more than half his body.

Okanogan County Emergency Management said the family is grateful for the support he received from Harborview and the Washington State Council of Fire Fighters Burn Foundation.
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Information from: KOMO-TV, http://www.komotv.com/