Man Dies After Tree Falls On Tent In Olympic National Forest

A Canadian man lost his life after a falling tree crushed his tent in Olympic National Forest, according to FOX 13.

The National Park Service says authorities got an "SOS" alert from a device on Tuesday evening (August 30). Officials took a helicopter out to the Elk Lake area, a remote campsite north of Mt. Olympus' west peak, and found a body the next morning.

They identified the victim as 34-year-old Thomas Bernier-Villeneuve, a Canadian resident camping in the woods. NPS believes Bernier-Villeneuve was sleeping when the tree fell on him and his tent. His body was turned over to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.

Officials haven't released the victim's cause of death as of Friday morning (September 2). No other details were released.

Deaths caused by falling trees are very rare, but can still happen, according to Wesley Trimble of the American Hiking Society. Experts say you should avoid pitching a tent near dead or leaning trees. You should also avoid camping under large branches, even if the tree appears healthy. Be mindful of weather conditions, as well, such as high winds or heavy snow weighing down branches.

Another deadly incident took place in Olympic National Park last month. A man jumped from a steep cliff into a popular lake and "never resurfaced," according to officials.