Severely burned firefighter from Puyallup was in first season with U.S. Forest Service

SEATTLE -- The injured firefighter in critical condition at Harborview Medical Center is a 25-year-old who grew up in Puyallup and was working his first season as a firefighter for the U.S. Forest Service, his parents said Thursday.

"He's been a great, great, wonderful child," Levi Lyon, the father of injured firefighter Daniel Lyon, said at a news conference at Harborview.

Daniel's mother, Barbara Lyon, said her son would call her every day and tell her not to worry about his safety.

"His mother and I are so proud..." Levi said.

Three firefighters died and four were injured, including Daniel Lyon, while battling a wildfire near Twisp, Wash., on Wednesday.  Okanogan County Sheriff Frank Rogers said the wind shifted and blew back the fire onto the men.

The three other injured firefighters, all from the Methow Valley area, have reportedly been released from local hospitals there.

But Lyon is still in critical condition at Harborview.

Dr. Tam Pham said the 25-year-old suffered mostly third-degree burns over half to up to two-thirds of his body.

His parents said Daniel is the youngest of three children and that he grew up Puyallup and graduated from Rogers High School. He is also a reserve officer with the Milton Police Department.

“His hope and dream was to be a police officer,” Levi said. “He was doing some forest firefighting to get some extra work. He was trying to help out a good cause.”

Dr. Tam Pham said the 25-year-old suffered mostly third-degree burns over half to up to two-thirds of his body.

Levi said his son is on a ventilator and is not able to speak yet, but he knows his parents are there.

Pham said Daniel is undergoing the resusitative phase, which involves replacing fluid. Once he is doing better, the doctor said, they will operate to repair his wounds. But Pham said Daniel Lyon will have a long road of recovery ahead.