An Ohio Division of Forestry team member died in a vehicle accident during a prescribed fire last month.
Wildland firefighter Selinde Roosenburg, 20, was participating in a controlled burn at Richard Furnace State Forest in Washington Township on March 23, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources stated in an online update. During the fire, she was riding in a utility task vehicle that was involved in an accident and she died from her injuries.
It is with great sadness we share that we lost a member of our ODNR Division of Forestry team recently. Selinde...
Posted by Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry on Wednesday, April 7, 2021
Roosenburg had been member of the team at Zaleski State Forest for a little more than a year, a role that reinforced her decision to become a wildlands firefighter and forester, according to her obituary. She attended Ohio State University and Washington State University, and she had been accepted into the Fire Science program at Idaho State University.
"She had dreams of pursuing a career in wildland fire and forestry," the ODNR stated. "She was looking forward to pursuing her passion and bringing her knowledge back to southeast Ohio. Selinde’s desire and eagerness to learn about prescribed fire’s role in forest conservation shown through while working for the Division of Forestry."
A memorial service and funeral procession will be held April 10, Roosenburg's birthday. Both events will be streamed live online.
