Firefighter Killed Battling El Dorado Fire Was San Diego Native

SAN DIEGO, CA — The firefighter killed last week in the El Dorado Fire in San Bernardino County was a San Diego native, fire officials announced late Monday.

Charles Morton, 39, a squad boss with the Big Bear Interagency Hotshots of the San Bernardino National Forest, died Thursday while battling the El Dorado Fire in the San Bernardino mountains, according to San Bernardino National Forest officials.

Morton was born in San Diego and started his career in 2002 as Corspman with the California Conservation Corps at the Butte Fire Center in Magalia, according to officials with the U.S. Forest Service. He began working for the U.S. Forest Service in 2006 with the Truckee Interagency Hotshots on the Tahoe National Forest, then joined the San Bernardino National Forest in 2007.

"Charlie was a well-respected leader who was always there for his squad and his crew at the toughest times," U.S. Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen said in a statement. "Our hearts go out to Charlie's loved ones, coworkers, friends and the Big Bear Hotshots. We will keep them in our thoughts and prayers."

Morton is survived by his wife and daughter, his parents, two brothers, cousins and friends, according to a statement from his family.

A U.S. Forest Service honor guard, along with the California Highway Patrol, will escort the fallen firefighter Tuesday morning in a procession to a mortuary in Orange County, officials said. The procession will begin at 10:30 a.m. from the main office of the San Bernardino County Coroner's Division in San Bernardino and end at Ferrara & Lee Colonial Mortuary in Orange.

The El Dorado fire ignited Sept. 5 near Yucaipa in San Bernardino County. As of 9 p.m. Monday, the blaze had burned 22,588 acres, was 60 percent contained, destroyed 10 structures and resulted in 13 injuries, along with Morton's death, according to Cal Fire. The blaze was sparked by a smoke device used at a gender reveal party.

City News Service and Patch editor Kristina Houck contributed to this report.