News and opinion about wildland fire
Matt Rollins took this photo today of the flags at the Washington Memorial at half staff. They were in honor of Justin Beebe who was killed by a falling tree while fighting the Strawberry Fire in Great Basin National Park August 13 in eastern Nevada.
Thanks Matt.
Justin Beebe was honored and remembered at a memorial service Saturday at Ogren Park at Allegiance Field in Missoula. Justin was killed by a falling tree August 13 during chainsaw operations on the Strawberry Fire in eastern Nevada.
Dick Mangan, who took these photos at the service, estimated that between 750 and 1,000 were in attendance, including what appeared to be virtually all of the Interagency Hotshot Crews in the Northern Region. Justin was a member of the Lolo Hotshots based in Missoula.
The Missoulian has a well written article about the memorial service.
Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories Uncategorized3 Comments on Photos of ribbons being collected to honor fallen firefighter 
Photos are being collected of purple ribbons honoring Justin Beebe, the wildland firefighter killed by a falling tree August 13 while fighting the Strawberry Fire in eastern Nevada. The photos will be collected and then posted together on social media as a way to show Justin’s family respect, and honor his life.
If you would like to participate, take a photo of a purple ribbon on anything — a tree, utility pole, sign, fire truck — and Tweet it with the hashtag #rememberjustinbeebe. If there’s a clue in the photo about where in the world the photo was taken, that would be a bonus.
Below are examples.
I just ordered 100 yards of purple ribbon and should have it by mid-afternoon on Friday. If anyone in the Hot Springs, SD area wants some, send me a message.
The memorial service honoring Justin will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, August 20 at Ogren Park at Allegiance Field, 700 Cregg Lane, Missoula (map). The public is invited to the memorial to pay their respects.
Justin is from Bellows Falls, Vermont and is a member of the Lolo Hotshots.
Additional information may be found at justinbeebememorial.blogspot.com. Condolences may be sent to justinbeebememorial@gmail.com.
On August 17 Justin was flown in a U.S. Forest Service aircraft from Las Vegas to Missoula accompanied by fellow Hotshot crewmembers and a USFS Honor Guard. From the Missoula airport he was escorted to a funeral home in Missoula where he will rest until the Memorial Service on Saturday.
The Memorial service in Vermont will be on Saturday, August 27 at 1 p.m. at the Bellows Falls Union High School auditorium. The address is 406 Union High School Road, Westminster, VT 05158 (map).
Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories Uncategorized15 Comments on Firefighter killed near Baker, Nevada Justin Beebe was a member of the Lolo Hotshots
A wildland firefighter with the U.S. Forest Service was killed Saturday August 13 while working on the Strawberry Fire near Baker, Nevada.
The National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service confirmed that Justin Beebe, a firefighter with the Lolo Hotshots based in Missoula, Montana, succumbed to injuries suffered when he was struck by a tree. The line of duty death of the Bellows Falls, Vermont firefighter will be investigated by the Forest Service.
“This loss of life is tragic and heartbreaking,” said Park Superintendent, Steve Mietz “Please keep the family and Forest Service employees in your thoughts and prayers during this time.”
The Strawberry Fire is being managed jointly by Great Basin Incident Management Team 7, the National Park Service, and the Bureau of Land Management. It is burning mostly in Great Basin National Park in eastern Nevada 10 miles west of the Utah/Nevada state line. Since starting from lightning on August 8 it has burned 4,600 acres, but satellites have not detected much heat on the fire since Friday, August 12.
Our sincere condolences go out to Mr. Beebe’s family, friends, and coworkers.
