Community mourns the loss of a Forest Service firefighter from Boulder

COLORADO, USA (KRDO)-- A Forest Service firefighter from Boulder has now passed away following a traffic accident near Powers, Oregon. 

The fallen firefighter has been identified as Benjamin Charles Sapper, 21, according to the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). 

Benjamin, who was originally from Boulder, Colorado was working as a first-year hand crew member on the Gold Beach Ranger District. He was employed by the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest as a Forest Service firefighter. 

According to the USFS, Benjamin graduated from Boulder High School and the University of Colorado with a Bachelor’s Degree in Applied Mathematics. 

Benjamin was an avid baseball player, chess player, and skier, and loved talking with others about philosophy and mathematics. 

Officials with the USFS stated Benjamin joined the Forest Service out of a desire to serve the community and be a part of a team. He was looking forward to starting graduate school in the fall at the University of British Columbia where he would major in Earth Sciences. 

“This is a devastating loss of one of our own Gold Beach firefighters. We have a tight-knit community on the Gold Beach and Powers Ranger Districts, and we stand together in grief and support for his family, friends, and fellow firefighters during this heartbreaking time,” said Gold Beach District Ranger Kailey Guerrant.