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Brett Michael Stearns

The Bureau of Land Management released findings of a report Friday afternoon into the June 26 death of BLM firefighter Brett Stearns.

Stearns, 29, of Craig, died during a hazardous tree abatement project at Freeman Reservoir, 15 miles northeast of Craig.

A Serious Accident Investigation Team was tasked with investigating and documenting facts related to the accident, the BLM reported.

The investigative team concluded Stearns was fatally injured when the dead tree he was cutting down unexpectedly broke in the middle, causing the upper portion of the tree to fall backward and strike him.

"The report noted that Stearns and his crew were working within accepted safety protocols and procedures when the accident happened," the BLM stated in a news release Friday afternoon.

"Many aspects of firefighting, like tree felling, are hazardous," said John Husband, BLM Little Snake Field Office manager. "The Bureau of Land Management makes every effort to train and equip our firefighters to handle this work safely, yet unexpected events occur.

"Brett's loss is still painful for our employees, his family and those who knew him. We will never forget Brett's contributions as a firefighter and individual."

The mission of the SAIT is to gather information regarding accidents to identify steps that may prevent similar accidents in the future, the BLM reported. It also stated that the agency strives to "identify hazards, manage risks and put standards in place to protect employees and the public."

An executive summary of the accident investigation is posted on BLM Colorado Web site, www.blm.gov/co.