Inmate Firefighter Killed by Tree at CA Wildfire

An inmate firefighter suffered fatal injuries when a 120-foot tree fell on him Wednesday afternoon while crews were battling a wildfire near Hoopa.

Matthew Beck, 26, suffered serious back, head and neck injuries when the tree uprooted and fell on him.

The remote location of the incident posed challenges for medical responders, California Department of Corrections Rehabilitation (CDCR) officials told KRCTV.com. They were unable to get to Beck to save his life.

Beck, who was leading a crew to clear brush on the fire lines, was assigned to the Alder Conservation Camp in Del Norte County.

“The inmates who, year after year, help protect our communities from the devastation of fires perform a valuable public service, and it is a tragic event when we lose one of them," said CDCR Secretary Scott Kernan. 

Beck was serving a six-year sentence for burglary.