USFA On-Duty Death: Arizona

United States Fire Administration
21 July 2021

EMMITSBURG, Maryland – The United States Fire Administration has announced the death of Air Tactical Group Supervisor Jeff Piechura, 62, of the U.S. Forest Service/Coronado National Forest on 10 July 2021.

On Saturday, July 10, 2021, Air Tactical Group Supervisor Jeff Piechura and Air Attack Pilot Matthew Robert Miller were aboard a Beechcraft King Air C-90 conducting visual reconnaissance and aviation command and control over the Cedar Basin Fire near Wikieup, Arizona when the aircraft crashed. Both individuals perished in the accident.

Age: 62
Rank: Air Tactical Group Supervisor
Classification: Wildland Part-Time
Incident date: July 10, 2021 12:50 p.m.
Date of death: July 10, 2021
Cause of death: Vehicle Collision – Includes Aircraft
Nature of death: Trauma
Activity type: Riding Vehicle/Apparatus
Emergency duty: Yes
Duty type: On-Scene Fire
Fixed property use: Outdoor Property

The number of on-duty deaths for 2021 currently is 59.

Fatality status is provisional and may change as USFA contacts State Fire Marshals to verify fatality incident information.

For more information about on-duty deaths as recorded by the United States Fire Administration go to “Firefighter Fatalities in the United States.”