The condition of Coeur d'Alene firefighter/engineer Dave Tysdal has improved from critical to stable, according to a press release from the Coeur d'Alene Fire Department on Wednesday.

Tysdal, 47, was shot and wounded Sunday when firefighters responded to what turned out to be an intentionally set fire at Canfield Mountain. Two other firefighters, John Morrison of the Coeur d'Alene Fire Department and Frank Harwood of Kootenai County Fire and Rescue, died in the shooting.

The suspected shooter, Wess Roley, 20, later exchanged gunfire with police officers who converged on the scene from North Idaho and Washington. He was found dead on Canfield Mountain, a shotgun next to him, as the fire continued to burn. The Kootenai County Sheriff's Office said Roley died by suicide.

Tysdale remains in the ICU at Kootenai Health. Doctors performed a third successful surgery Wednesday. He suffered severe chest trauma and is now off a ventilator and talking, the release said.

Tysdale also suffered spinal trauma during the incident.

"Doctors are optimistic but say he has a long recovery ahead of him," the release said.

No motive has been uncovered for the shootings. 

Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris said Monday that Roley once wanted to be a firefighter. Representatives for Kootenai County Fire and Rescue and the Coeur d'Alene Fire Department said he did not apply with them.

Chris Way, KCFR fire chief, said Monday firefighters had "pre-incident contact with the suspect by our firefighters upon their arrival. But it was minimal contact and there was certainly no criminal or suspected activity as a result of that."

KCSO has not said if the shotgun Roley is believed to have used belonged to him.

KCSO Lt. Mark Ellis said no further details on the case will be released until after the funerals of Morrison and Harwood.