Toddler killed in Cold Springs Fire while family was fleeing
Sep 9, 2020, 3:47 PM | Updated: 5:15 pm
Jacob and Jamie Hyland were caught in the Cold Springs Fire Tuesday night. Their son, Uriel, was killed. (GoFundMe)
(GoFundMe)
A 1-year-old boy died as his family was trying to escape the Cold Springs Fire in Okanogan County.
The Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office said it received a call Tuesday afternoon to find the Hyland family, who were last known to be in the area of Cameron Lake Road and Paxton Canyon Road. Deputies were told the family’s vehicle was found burned out with no one inside.
Photos of wildfires burning across Washington state
The Hyland family, of Renton, was trying to leave their remote property to get away from the Cold Springs Fire.
They were found along the banks of the Columbia River on Wednesday morning. The toddler, Uriel, was deceased when rescue crews reached the family. His parents, 31-year-old Jacob Hyland and 26-year-old Jamie Hyland, were flown to Harborview Medical Center in critical condition with third-degree burns. Jamie is pregnant, according to a GoFundMe page started to help with medical costs and lost wages.
Family member Tammie Mabry said you could tell the Hylands were trying to make it to the river, passing through barbed wire fences and sagebrush. Mabry’s husband is Jacob’s cousin.
“It’s a miracle, after seeing the truck and the condition of the area, that they even made it to the river. But it’s also devastating that the baby didn’t survive,” Mabry said.
She said that Jamie has undergone one surgery on her hands, and they’re preparing Jacob for the same surgery.
Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz released a statement after learning of the boy’s death:
“I came out to Malden to see first-hand the devastation of the wildfires that erupted across Washington state over Labor Day weekend. Many homes and buildings were lost throughout the state, but the relief I felt in this tragedy is that we hadn’t lost any lives. That tragically and horrifically changed today.
“My heart breaks for the family of the child who perished in the Cold Springs fire. I am devastated. The DNR family is devastated. The pain that family is going through is unfathomable.
“During every fire season, I wake up each day praying we will not lose a single life — civilian or firefighter. To be honest, it’s horrible that we must base so much on prayer.
“My team at DNR and the firefighting community all across Washington will continue working as hard as we can to protect lives and communities. But I need every single resident of Washington to care about this. Not just today, but tomorrow, and every day until we have the resources to protect our communities and protect our firefighters.”
The Cold Springs Fire started Sunday night and has grown to about 163,000 acres with 0% containment. Level 2 and 3 evacuation orders are in place. Check here for more details.
The fire has destroyed multiple structures. The Red Cross has opened a shelter in Brewster, Washington.
