A young wildfire fighter who was killed by a falling tree in B.C.'s southern Interior on Thursday is remembered by friends, family, and community leaders as a kind, selfless woman committed to protecting the province and those who call it home.
Devyn Gale, 19, died after being trapped beneath a tree while clearing brush near a small fire in a remote area outside Revelstoke, B.C., on Thursday. Her brother, Nolan Gale, posted a tribute to his sister on Instagram on Friday. "Devyn was a remarkable sister. She was so kind and thoughtful. Between myself, her other sister, and me, she had the best head on her shoulders. She was careful, considerate, and hardworking. She was smarter and better at what she did than she gave herself credit for," he wrote.
"I'm so grateful to have grown up beside her. I'm grateful for everything she's done for me and others, completely out of kindness with no expectation of reciprocation."
Gale is the first wildfire fighter to die in British Columbia in almost a decade. Fellow firefighters, community leaders, and government officials offered condolences across the country after her passing.
"When we think about public service in our province, when we think about commitment to the people of British Columbia, it's hard to imagine a more dramatic example of sacrifice than putting your life on the line," B.C. Premier David Eby said, speaking from Vancouver on Friday.
"This is a young woman who has her whole life ahead of her. She obviously loved the outdoors and had a strong calling to public service, to step up for her friends and neighbors. The whole community is reeling. The province is mourning her death—that someone so selfless could die during this kind of work.
Devyn Gale, 19
"On behalf of all British Columbians, I want to thank her." Area 'extremely dangerous,' RCMP say
Mounties said Gale's colleagues found her beneath the tree and started first aid after losing contact during the call. Gale was airlifted to Queen Victoria Hospital in Revelstoke, where she died from injuries.
"You have this young 19-year-old who's obviously trying to keep her community and, really, the province safe. We don't necessarily expect this kind of thing to happen, but it's a reminder of the inherent risk of this type of work," RCMP Cpl. James Grandy said in an interview, adding that the fire area is "extremely dangerous."
"It's commendable that these folks are out there doing this type of thing, keeping communities safe from wildfire, but obviously, we have to be cognizant of the risks they're all taking in doing so."
The B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) confirmed the death but did not say which fire she was battling. As of Friday morning, three wildfires were burning within 50 kilometers of Revelstoke, a mountain community about 150 kilometers west of the Alberta border.
More than 2,000 wildfire personnel are fighting more than 360 wildfires across B.C. The province has asked for 1,000 additional foreign firefighters to join the 160 from Mexico and the United States already in B.C., as well as more federal resources.
"I know the B.C. Wildfire Service is a close-knit team, and this loss is felt deeply. We are here to support them at this difficult time. Let us all do our part to prevent wildfires and think of these brave firefighters as they continue to battle what is becoming a very challenging wildfire season," B.C. Forests Minister Bruce Ralston said in a statement.
The RCMP and WorkSafeBC are investigating. Grandy said Mounties will try to gather any evidence but noted there's nothing to suggest there was any criminal element in Gale's death.
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