Coeur d’Alene Wildfire Ambush: At Least 2 Firefighters Killed, Several Wounded in Apparent Mass Casualty Shooting Near Canfield Mountain — Gunman Targets Emergency Crews with No Warning as Authorities Declare Active Shooter Crisis, Suspect Search Underway

Investigative Feature Expansion (Opening of Full 4,000-Word Narrative):
In the forested hillsides of northern Idaho, where the slopes of Canfield Mountain tower over the tranquil neighborhoods of Coeur d’Alene, a catastrophic convergence of fire and violence has turned a routine emergency response into one of the darkest chapters in recent memory. In what law enforcement officials are now calling a mass casualty incident, at least two firefighters were killed and several others wounded on Saturday, ambushed while responding to a brush fire along East Nettleton Gulch Road. As first responders moved in to combat what they believed was a standard wildfire, gunfire erupted without warning — and the mountain became a war zone.

The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the horrifying scenario: emergency personnel, including members of the Northern Lakes Fire Protection District, came under immediate gunfire upon arrival. What had been called in as a fast-moving blaze quickly revealed itself to be part of something far more sinister. Authorities now suspect the fire may have been intentionally set, designed as bait to lure first responders into a fatal trap. The possibility — and now likelihood — that this was a calculated ambush has shocked even seasoned professionals, upending assumptions about the risks emergency crews face on calls that are often chaotic, but not violent.

Fire Chief Pat Riley, speaking in the aftermath of the attack, acknowledged the harrowing speed with which the situation deteriorated. “It happened with little warning,” he said, emphasizing the complete lack of time crews had to prepare or defend themselves. His words carry the raw urgency of someone who watched his team walk into an unfolding nightmare. The emotional toll on leadership — and on the surviving responders — is still incalculable.

The full extent of injuries remains unknown, but scanner traffic from Kootenai County Fire units painted an immediate and devastating picture of the scene. The transmissions, frantic and clipped, bore the tone of trauma in real time. “There’s an active shooter zone! They’re shot down. BC3’s down, BC1’s down. Everybody’s shot up here. Law enforcement, Code 3 now up here! … Get out of the way. Engine Brush 551, do not come up here.” These words, documented in live radio recordings, reflect not just logistical confusion but the raw panic of firefighters suddenly thrust into an ambush they were never trained to confront.

The decision to declare the scene a mass casualty incident — a formal classification denoting multiple victims and a strained emergency system — was made quickly, but not before lives were already lost. At least two fatalities have now been confirmed. First responders, both law enforcement and emergency medical, continued to comb the mountain terrain in the hours after the attack, searching for the wounded while simultaneously trying to secure the area from further violence. Some victims, officials said, were still being located. Others had to be airlifted out via medical helicopter due to the active nature of the threat and the steep, wooded landscape.

For the fire crews who remained on standby or were ordered to withdraw, the horror was twofold: the loss of colleagues, and the knowledge that they had to retreat from their mission. The wildfire, still active in at least two major zones, was left largely unchecked — a necessary but devastating tradeoff made in the interest of preserving what lives remained. The strategic withdrawal from the mountain was not a tactical error but a life-saving imperative.

The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office moved quickly to alert the public. A public emergency message was sent across the region: “Active shooter at Canfield Mountain. Injuries are reported, but the extent is unknown. Avoid the area.” The clarity of the alert — direct, unambiguous — was a signal to residents that the situation had escalated beyond any ordinary incident. Law enforcement command recognized that the entire region was now at risk, and that public cooperation would be essential.

Aerial support from Spokane County was rapidly brought into play, including two helicopters deployed to assist with the search for the suspect or suspects. A suspect vehicle had reportedly been located, though no identities or motives had been released at the time of initial reporting. Lieutenant Jeff Howard of the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office emphasized that the investigation remains “ongoing and fluid,” indicating both the volatility of the operation and the difficulty in confirming details amidst a still-active threat.

Residents across Coeur d’Alene and neighboring communities were strongly advised to remain indoors, lock their doors, and await official updates. The presence of a gunman — or possibly more than one — in the wooded and mountainous terrain made it impossible to secure the area fully without extended ground and air surveillance. In many ways, the very nature of the landscape that defines this part of Idaho — its rugged hills, dense brush, and winding roads — became a liability in the face of active violence.

This incident has shaken the emergency response framework of North Idaho to its core. While firefighters and police officers operate under constant risk, the deliberate targeting of first responders using a decoy fire represents an escalation few had imagined. It is not just a tragedy — it is a challenge to the very institutions designed to serve and protect.

As officials work to determine whether this attack was the act of a lone gunman or part of something more complex, the questions raised will reverberate far beyond Kootenai County. What training must now be given to firefighters who may face gunfire on arrival? How do departments verify calls without delaying life-saving response? And what protections can be installed — structurally and systemically — to prevent ambushes of this nature from recurring?

For now, the community mourns the loss of at least two brave individuals who died in service — their names, not yet released, already carried in the hearts of their colleagues. They responded to a fire call with courage, not knowing that violence awaited them. Their sacrifice joins a growing list of first responders across the United States who have been killed not by the hazards of fire or accident, but by the intentional malice of others.

The next phases will be difficult. Recovery of the wounded. Identification of the fallen. An investigation that could take days, if not weeks. And a community reckoning with the fact that a mountain known for its beauty is now the site of its deepest grief.