Duty of Care

On Wednesday, October 14, 2026, U.S. Forest Service wildland firefighter Kaitlyn “KK” Gallagher of Alexandria, Louisiana, died in the line of duty after she was hit by a tree while responding to the Broken Creek Fire, a 10-acre wildfire in Rapides Parish on the Kisatchie National Forest, according to the Forest Service as reported by KALB. The fire has since been contained.

Gallagher joined the Forest Service as a Wildland Firefighter Apprentice in 2025 and served on engine and wildland fire modules for two summers on the Shoshone National Forest in Wyoming; on the Kisatchie, she helped with prescribed burns and wildfire response. The report did not describe how the tree came down.

Falling trees and snags are a known hazard on wildland fires, especially where fire has weakened roots and trunks. The defenses to check are hazard tree size-up before and during the work, lookouts and clear radio communication, keeping crews out of the fall zone of burning or weakened trees, and a medical and evacuation plan for every assignment.

• KALB