HELENA, Mont. – Monday evening, the state of Montana will be honoring the 75th anniversary of the Mann Gulch fire, one of the most famous wildfires in Treasure State history.
The wildland firefighting community not just here in Montana, but all over the country, will pause and remember those 13 smokejumpers who lost their lives on August 5, 1949. The program Monday evening will take place in front of the capitol building in Helena and will be filled with some awesome touches and tributes, with a potential surprise guest or two.
The Helena-Lewis and Clark Ranger district has been planning Monday’s event for months and they are expecting a huge turnout. Gov. Greg Gianforte will kick things off. John Maclean, the son of “Young Men and Fire” author Norman Maclean, will serve as the keynote speaker for the event.
Depending on FAA regulations and weather conditions, there might be a fly-over appearance from Miss Montana, the DC-3 airplane that was the actual plane to drop those 13 smokejumpers into the Mann Gulch fire all those years ago. The USFS hopes that the focus is on those we lost and the lessons and legacy that carries on from one of the deadliest wildfires in Montana history.
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