Gov. Hobbs orders flags to be lowered in honor of Arizona firefighter who died battling Knowles Fire

Flags at all Arizona state buildings will be lowered to half-staff Saturday in honor of a Glendale firefighter who died while battling the Knowles Fire in Colorado.

Gov. Katie Hobbs ordered flags lowered from sunrise to sunset for 27-year-old Nick Hutcherson, who died in the line of duty last month.

Hutcherson was part of an interagency crew that responds quickly to wildfires: the U.S. Wildland Fire Service’s Rifle Helitack crew. He was one of three firefighters who died in the incident. The other two were 38-year-old Emily Barker of Michigan and 26-year-old Sydney Watson of Alabama.

“My heart breaks for the family and crewmates of Nick Hutcherson, an Arizonan who died responding to the Knowles Fire in Colorado,” Hobbs said in a Friday news release. “He’s a hero who embodied the courage and selflessness of our wildland fire service. We owe him a debt of gratitude we can never repay. Arizona stands with his loved ones and others who died and were injured fighting the fire.”

Funeral service planned for fallen firefighter from Glendale

Businesses, organizations and individuals are encouraged to lower their flags to half-staff Saturday to honor Hutcherson.

His funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at Dream City Church, near Cave Creek Road and Sweetwater Avenue in Phoenix.

A funeral procession is expected to leave Hansen Desert Hills Mortuary about 1 p.m. and travel about 8 miles to the church. A ceremonial transfer will take place when the procession arrives.

Dream City Church will provide a livestream of the service.

Community members are invited to honor Hutcherson’s service and sacrifice, while respecting the family’s privacy and the solemn nature of the event.

Officials with the Tonto National Forest said Hutcherson exemplified courage and public service. The forest service released the following statement about his life:

Before joining the Forest Service, Nick proudly served in the U.S. Navy, including a tour in Guam, and he continued that commitment to others as a wildland firefighter while pursuing his dream of becoming a Doctor of Physical Therapy. Outside of work, Nick was a dedicated Muay Thai practitioner who trained at Southside Combat Academy in Flagstaff and was an active member of the Northern Arizona Deaf and American Sign Language community.

“We are incredibly proud to call him a member of the Kaibab family,” the statement said.

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