Patrick Michael Karnahan, a U. S. Forest Service employee with 17 seasons of experience as a forester and firefighter, has written a song honoring U. S. Forest Service firefighters. In 2005 the USFS selected Patrick to perform his original songs at the Smithsonian’s Folklife Festival and Kennedy Center in Washington DC.
In the video below, the song is performed by the Black Irish Band, with lead vocalist James Dean Nelson. The narrator is Michael Martin Murphey, who recorded the song “Wildfire”. Mr. Murphey says this at the beginning of the music video:
Every year our nation’s forests are devastated by wildfire. It’s the job of the men and women of the United States Forest Service to extinguish those blazes [unintelligible]. The firefighting heroes are dedicated to the service and love the forests. Many will join the ranks of thousands who have lived to tell their stories but there are many others who have never returned. This song is in honor of those that have walked into the fire.
It makes sense that a USFS employee would write a song about his agency, but I just want to thank for their service the wildland firefighters of the other four federal land management agencies, as well as the many state and local firefighters, full time, seasonal, and volunteer.
Thanks go out to Rick.
Awesome. I am working behind the scenes, EQTR. Watch each these brave men risk their lives daily from camp, and feel that all of them deserve more tribute than we give. Have been personally involved in seeing many a life lost to the beast of fire, yet not enough tribute paid, thank you for your voice. In light of recent events, the 19 lost should be included in this song. More tributes such as yours are needed for the brave men and women that continue to risk there lives to save others.
And contractors, too.
The Black Irish Band makes a swing through the Northern Rockies every couple of years in the summer. I have only seen them live once but I couldnt get enough of them! They have many songs posted on Youtube including a number of songs about wildfire. If I am not mistaken the band is based in Northern California.