UPDATE: 4:04 p.m. - August 25, 2025
VIRGINIA CITY - The firefighter who died in the line of duty Sunday on the Bivens Creek Fire has been identified as Ruben Gonzales Romero of Keizer, Oregon.
The Madison County, MT Sheriff's Office and the Northern Rockies Complex Incident Management Team 6 report that Romero was a veteran wildland firefighter with more than 20 years of experience. was serving as a sawyer on a Type 2 crew with TJ Contracting LLC.
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He was serving as a sawyer — a firefighter who uses a chainsaw to cut trees and brush — on a Type 2 crew with TJ Contracting LLC.
Officials said he died doing the work he loved.
Romero’s family is traveling to Montana, and an honor guard of incident and local firefighters will remain with him until his body is returned home.
The Bivens Creek Fire, which was sparked by lightning on Aug. 13, has burned 2,238 acres about 15 miles northwest of Virginia City. It remains 0% contained with 741 personnel assigned.
(first report: 8:52 a.m. - August 25, 2025)
A firefighter died Sunday afternoon while fighting the Bivens Creek Fire in Southwest Montana.
According to Northern Rockies Team 6 Incident Commander Rich Cowger, the firefighter was actively involved in fire suppression on the ground when he suffered a cardiac emergency.
Medical assistance was provided by a line paramedic; however, resuscitation attempts were unsuccessful.
WATCH: Firefighter Suffers Fatal Cardiac Emergency on Bivens Creek Fireline
"Our hearts go out to his family and friends. The wildland fire community is inherently interagency, and a line-of-duty death impacts us all," Cowger said in a statement. "We deeply appreciate this firefighter’s dedication to his profession and to the communities threatened by wildland fire."
As of Sunday night, the Bivens Creek Fire, located 10 miles east of Sheridan, is burning at 2,242 acres and is 0% contained. A total of 741 people are working on the fire, which was caused by lightning.
