Two firefighters were killed and a third critically injured after a gunman deliberately set a brush fire on Canfield Mountain to lure them into an ambush, prompting a lockdown that was lifted once the suspect was found dead with a firearm nearby.
Ambush Details and Immediate Aftermath
The suspect, Wess Roley, initiated the fire and lay in wait on the wooded slopes of Canfield Mountain, using a high-powered rifle to target the approaching fire crew. According to officials cited by AP News, the suspect’s body was located near a weapon after a multi-hour manhunt involving cell phone tracking. Authorities confirmed that the shelter-in-place order was lifted once Roley was found dead at the scene.
Governor Brad Little condemned the violence as a “heinous direct assault on those who protect us,” underscoring the gravity of the act and the implications for frontline responders operating in remote areas.
Watch a report: Idaho Authorities Lift Lockdown After Firefighters Ambushed
Tactical Response and Law Enforcement Mobilization
Roughly 300 officers—including SWAT, FBI tactical teams, and ATF agents—were deployed in response. According to the Washington Post, helicopter units coordinated overhead, while a ground perimeter and no-fly zone were imposed. Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris confirmed that law enforcement engaged the gunman, but it remains unclear whether Roley was killed by return fire or died by suicide.
The fire itself continued burning while emergency crews were sidelined for their own safety. As The Guardian reported, the shooter’s calculated use of the wildfire to stage an ambush amplified the risk to both civilians and first responders across the region.
Fallout, Investigation, and Broader Implications
Investigators from local and federal agencies are now working to determine whether Roley acted alone or had connections to broader extremist threats. The discovery of his body and firearm near a steep trailhead ended the lockdown, allowing fire crews to resume containment efforts, as noted by WTOP.
According to East Idaho News, the ambush has devastated the local firefighting community. Public tributes poured in during funeral processions in Spokane, while the International Association of Fire Fighters denounced the act as a “deliberate and targeted assault” on emergency workers.
As Time reported, this is part of a growing trend of violence against first responders across the U.S., prompting renewed debate over tactical readiness, mental health screening, and protections for emergency crews operating in increasingly unpredictable environments.
The Idaho ambush serves as a grim warning that natural disasters are now being weaponized by lone attackers—and that the front lines of climate response are becoming front lines of armed conflict.
