Online posts have identified the firefighter killed in the Jasper blaze as 24-year-old Morgan Kitchen.
Kitchen, a Calgarian, was an Alberta Wildfire crew member who served in the Canadian Armed Forces and the British Royal Marines, according to a social media tribute post.
The tribute describes Kitchen as bold, brilliant and 100 per cent authentic with a genuine interest in caring for others. He was a “much-loved character who brought streams of adventure, joy, and fun.”
He is described as a talented athlete, musician, singer, comedian and actor who was “wired to be a first responder.”
Kitchen was killed after he sustained a serious injury from a falling tree while fighting an active fire northeast of Jasper. He was extracted from the scene by STARS air ambulance and was then declared deceased.
“This incident highlights the dangerous nature of wildland firefighting and the hazards that crew members encounter every day,” read a statement from Parks Canada shortly after the incident.
“Every single person responding to the Jasper Wildfire Complex is in mourning today for our friend and colleague . . . We are eternally grateful for the personal sacrifices first responders offer to protect Canadians and their communities.”
Kitchen was a resident of Calgary and based out of the Rocky Mountain House Fire Base, according to RCMP.
Thursday night, the Jasper Royal Canadian Legion Branch 31 posted a tribute to Kitchen, adding: “Stand Easy. We shall remember.”
To read more about firefighters who lost their lives in recent Canadian wildfires, click here.