Forest Service officers honored for Yellow Lake Fire response, life-saving work

SALT LAKE CITY — In a season marked by wildfires and dramatic rescues, two U.S. Forest Service law enforcement officers have earned recognition for their exceptional service on the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest.

Matthew Jemmett and James Ailey were named Employees of the Quarter after spearheading evacuation efforts during the massive Yellow Lake Fire that scorched 33,000 acres east of Kamas, Utah this fall. The officers cleared hundreds of campsites and coordinated highway closures as the flames spread, later returning to retrieve trailers abandoned in the rush to evacuate.

Their work extended beyond fire response. When called to emergency scenes, the officers provided crucial medical aid during multiple search and rescue operations. Ailey, drawing on his EMT training, delivered critical care during a life flight situation. The pair also responded when a medical transport helicopter made a rough landing during a separate incident.

“Several lives were saved, and resources protected by these two officers during the Quarter,” the Forest Service said in a statement.

The recognition also highlighted their investigative work, as the officers conducted what officials described as “thorough and in-depth” investigations into two human-caused fires on forest land.