BIG SUR, Calif. — An independent contractor and Cal Fire partner killed Tuesday when his bulldozer rolled over while battling a wildfire has been identified.
Robert Oliver Reagan III, 35, was battling the 25,000 acre Soberanes Fire alongside firefighters.
As of Friday, the wildfire has grown to 31,000 acres, and is only 15 percent contained, according to the Los Angeles Times.
“(Firefighting) is an inherently dangerous job with great risk involved,” Cal Fire Incident Commander Todd Derum told the Sierra Star. “Please keep your heartfelt thoughts and prayers with the family.”
A GoFundMe page has been set up by Reagan’s family to raise funds for his wife and two daughters. So far, $50,000 has been raised.
“He was a very industrious person who loved to be out and actively helping people,” Daniel Reagan, Robert’s brother said. “He would do anything he could to meet the needs of somebody else. He died doing something he was good at, and doing something he believed was helpful for others in need.”
Reagan was a race car driver at LoanMart Madera Speedway, where fellow drivers are planning fundraisers to honor him and support his family.
“He’d be very competitive, but he raced for the right reasons,” Speedway owner Kenny Shepherd said. “He was a winner on the track, and a great family man off of it.”