Nebraska officials share support, sympathies with family of fallen wildland firefighter

LINCOLN, Neb. —

A firefighter from Lincoln who was critically injured in a wildland fire burnover near the Colorado-Utah border died late last week, weeks after the incident that also claimed the lives of three other firefighters.

Nathan Matthews, 43, was serving with the U.S. Wildland Fire Service when he was injured while battling a wildfire in June.

“It’s such a blow. Everybody’s grieving out there,” Burk Minor, the executive director of the Wildland Firefighter Foundation, said. “All these firefighters have dug line with each other on a fire somewhere. They probably train together. They know who each other are.”

Minor said Matthews’ death comes during an especially difficult wildfire season, with firefighters facing long deployments and mounting fatigue.

“The morale is low right now because of all that’s going on,” he said. “We have a lot of tired firefighters out there right now, and by the end of the season, they’ll be getting that thousand mile stare. They get more tired every day. All these fatalities pile up on them.”

The Wildland Firefighter Foundation provides support to firefighters and their families following line-of-duty deaths and injuries. Minor said he’s been in contact with Matthews’ family since the June incident.

“The public just needs to pay attention and thank these unsung heroes, these men and women that are out there putting it on the line every day,” he said.

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen offered condolences to Matthews’ family and friends, saying in a statement, in part, “We are forever grateful for his service and sacrifice. May God be with his loved ones during this time.”

Pillen also announced that flags will be flown at half-staff on the day of Matthews’ interment.

Sen. Pete Ricketts share his sympathies in a social media post: “Heartbreaking news about Nebraskan firefighter Nathan Matthews. This is a sobering reminder of the risks our brave first responders face. Susanne and I are praying for Nathan’s family and loved ones.”

Nebraska’s firefighting community also expressed its sympathy.

“On behalf of the association and every volunteer firefighter from Nebraska, our hearts go out to the family, and our prayers are with them,” said Kenny Krause, second vice president of the Nebraska Volunteer Firefighters Association.

Krause said volunteers are increasingly finding themselves on the frontlines of wildfires, with 2026 being the worst year of burning in Nebraska’s history.

“The period of time these fires are lasting. You know, they’re not hours or days or weeks — they’re months,” Krause said.

Minor echoed that sentiment from his post in Idaho.

“The fire activity we’re seeing on the ground is we haven’t seen it before, especially we’re not even into August,” he said.