A Utah firefighter who died battling the largest recorded blaze in California history was given a procession as his body is flown back to Salt Lake City.
Cal Fire officials escorted Matthew Burchett’s casket Wednesday afternoon to an airport in the northern California city of Ukiah. Burchett’s wife, brother and a family friend were in California to fly with him home to Salt Lake City.
In Salt Lake City, firefighters from the two agencies Burchett worked for escorted the hearse to the mortuary.
Authorities say the 42-year-old Burchett died Monday night after he was hit by a tree while fighting a fire north of San Francisco.
He is survived by his wife and a 7-year-old son.
He was a battalion chief for the fire department in Draper, a suburb of Salt Lake City.
OAKLAND POLICE OFFICER CRITICALLY INJURED IN CRASH WITH BIG RIG
DECOMPOSING BODY STUCK IN STORE PILLAR MAY BELONG TO FUGITIVE
WOMAN AT STAPLES: I’M NOT SHOPLIFTING, JUST PREGNANT WITH TWINS