San Carlos SWFF

08/28/2026

Day 14 for the IA crew assigned to the Diamanté, Whiskey, Cerro, and Blanco 🔥s, NM. 👍🏽

08/25/2026

🔥 END OF WATCH — RANDY LUPE 🔥

It is with profound sadness that we honor Randy Lupe, 62, of the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation in Arizona, who died on Sunday, August 23, 2026, after suffering a medical emergency while supporting firefighting operations on the Frijoles Fire in northern New Mexico.

Randy served as a U.S. Wildland Fire Service temporary emergency-support crewmember assigned to the San Carlos Camp Crew. Emergency personnel responded immediately and transported him to a local hospital, but despite lifesaving efforts, he did not survive.

U.S. Wildland Fire Service Chief Brian Fennessy said Randy’s loss is being felt throughout the entire wildland fire community, emphasizing that every member of the workforce plays a vital role in emergency response.

Randy was part of the often-unseen support system that keeps a major wildfire operation functioning. Camp crew members perform demanding and essential work that directly supports firefighters and incident personnel. Their service is indispensable, and their contributions must never be forgotten.

Our deepest condolences go to Randy’s family, loved ones, friends, crewmates, the San Carlos Apache Tribe and everyone affected by this heartbreaking loss.

Officials have not released the specific nature of the medical emergency or additional private details. Out of respect for Randy and his family, we will not speculate.

End of Watch: August 23, 2026

Rest easy, Randy. Your service, sacrifice and dedication to the wildland fire community will always be remembered.

As this tragedy reminds us, medical emergencies can occur anywhere on an incident. Watch over one another, recognize the warning signs of heat stress and medical distress, and never hesitate to request assistance. No assignment is more important than bringing everyone home safely.

— Will Spyrison, Retired Division Chief, Angeles National Forest, and InciNotes Administrator

Photo courtesy of the U.S. Department of the Interior.



Verified through the U.S. Wildland Fire Service announcement⁠ and ABC15 Arizona’s report⁠.

08/25/2026

We are saddened to share the identity of the crewmember we lost on the Frijoles Fire in northern New Mexico on Sunday. Randy Lupe, 62, of the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation in Arizona, died following a medical emergency.

Lupe was a U.S. Wildland Fire Service temporary emergency support crewmember on the San Carlos camp crew, which was supporting federal wildfire response on the Frijoles Fire.
Out of consideration for the family, the Interior Department is not releasing additional medical information at this time.

This loss is felt deeply across the wildland firefighting community, and our thoughts are with all those affected.

You can find the full press release at https://www.doi.gov/wildlandfireservice/identity-released-wildland-fire-support-crewmember-who-died-frijoles-fire-new.

08/25/2026

💔 More info will be shared once officially released.

We are deeply saddened by the loss of a crewmember who died Sunday following a medical emergency while supporting incident response on the Frijoles Fire in northern New Mexico.

Our thoughts are with the family, loved ones, friends and crewmates, and with the entire wildland fire community mourning this loss.

https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-publication/nmsnf-frijoles-fire/frijoles-fire-news-release-08-24-2026

08/20/2026

San Carlos #5 camp crew assigned to the Elk 🔥, CO. 👍🏽

08/19/2026

SWFF crews update. 👍🏽

San Carlos 1 IA crew - Day 5, Diamanté 🔥, NM.

San Carlos 1 camp crew - Day 20, Elk 🔥, CO.

San Carlos 2 camp crew - Day 18, Second Flat 🔥, OR.

San Carlos 3 camp crew - Day 8, Frijoles 🔥, NM.

San Carlos 4 camp crew - Day 7, Black Canyon 🔥, UT.

San Carlos 5 camp crew- Assigned to the Elk 🔥, CO. 👍🏽

08/14/2026

San Carlos 1 T2 I.A. crew assigned to the Diamanté 🔥,NM. 👍🏽

08/12/2026

San Carlos 4 camp crew assigned to the Black Canyon 🔥, UT. 👍🏽🚙

08/11/2026

San Carlos 3 camp crew assigned to the Frijoles 🔥, NM. 👍🏽

08/01/2026

Assignment complete for San Carlos 1 IA crew on the Rowe Creek Complex 🔥, OR. 👍🏽