California firefighter dies in Montana

MISSOULA (AP) — A California firefighter died in western Montana when a tree that was being cut down fell and hit him.

Missoula County Sheriff TJ McDermott said Thursday that 29-year-old Brent M. Witham of Mentone, California, died Wednesday while he was working on the Lolo Peak fire. The lightning-caused fire is burning in the Lolo National Forest southwest of Missoula.

His was the second firefighter death in western Montana in less than two weeks.

Trenton Johnson of Missoula died on July 19 when a dead tree fell and hit him near Seeley Lake. He was 19.