There will be an observance over the next few days of the 75th anniversary of the Mann Gulch fire, honoring the 13 men who died.
The Mann Gulch fire can be seen from a U.S. Forest Service plane in August 1949.
On Saturday, “Higgins Ridge,” a documentary about a 1961 wildfire, will be shown from 7-9 p.m. at the Myrna Loy. There is a reception from 6-7 p.m.
Some members of the crew were able to survive the fire thanks to lessons learned from the Mann Gulch blaze.
After the film, a panel will be held with former fire lab Director Colin Hardy, a survivor of the 1961 Higgins Ridge fire, and other experts. Reservations are full.
On Sunday, Ten Mile Creek Brewing will launch a commemorative beer honoring the 75th anniversary, raising funds for the Montana Discovery Foundation.
It will be on the walking mall from 2-5 p.m., and educational booths are expected to be on the mall as well.
People are also reading…
From 10 a.m. to noon Sunday, the York Community Hall will host a discussion of the storm that caused the Mann Gulch fire, as well as four other fires. The York fire, one of the blazes, is said to have influenced the Mann Gulch response.
At 10:30 a.m. Monday, there will also be a mural dedication by artist Elise Perpignano, who painted the Lyndale Tunnel in honor of the Mann Gulch fire. It will feature comments by Helena Mayor Wilmot Collins, Chiara Cipriano with the U.S. Forest Service and the muralist.
Also on Monday, a formal memorial will be held on the Montana State Capitol’s west lawn from 4-7 p.m. Thirteen wreaths will be presented to honor the men who died.
Weather permitting, Miss Montana, the plane that flew the smokejumpers who died, will fly over the Capitol.
