A gunman deliberately started a wildfire in a rugged mountain area of Idaho and then shot at the firefighters who responded, killing two and injuring another on Sunday afternoon in what the local sheriff described as a "total ambush".

Law enforcement officers exchanged fire with the gunman while the wildfire burned, and officials later found the body of the male suspect on the mountain with a firearm nearby, Sheriff Robert Norris of Kootenai County said at a news conference on Sunday night. The authorities said they believed the suspect had acted alone but did not release any information about his identity or motives.

"This was a total ambush," Sheriff Norris said. "These firefighters did not have a chance."

The firefighters were dispatched to conduct reconnaissance after the authorities received a phone call about a fire on Canfield Mountain, on the eastern outskirts of Coeur d’Alene, at about 1.21 pm, Sheriff Norris said. About 40 minutes later, firefighters said that they were being shot at, he said.

As the shooting unfolded, firefighters pleaded for help after two of them were shot, according to a feed posted on Broadcastify, a website that provides public access to emergency radio communications. One firefighter reported that they were hiding behind a firefighting rig. One could be heard saying that they thought the fire was set intentionally.

Over 300 law enforcement officers from numerous agencies responded, Sheriff Norris said. The FBI confirmed they were there and helping the local authorities. As evening fell, the authorities used cellphone data to hone in on the suspect, and located his body, he said, adding that the body was moved because of the rapidly spreading fire. The authorities did not disclose the size of the fire.

Preliminary information indicates that the suspect acted alone, the sheriff said.

New York Times News Service