HELENA — Artist Elise Perpignano is currently painting the Centennial Tunnel mural in Helena to honor the Mann Gulch fire and the smokejumpers who lost their lives in the tragic event.
Perpignano expressed, “This particular fire was one of the most tragic smoke jumping accidents to ever happen. But there is a lot of positive growth that came out of it. The Forest Service and firefighters gained valuable insights on fighting fires and learned that not all fires can be treated the same. So, despite the tragedy, there was significant progress made.”
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Perpignano is dedicated to painting the Centennial mural on the pedestrian underpass under West Lyndale Avenue. After completing another mural last summer connecting Centennial and Memorial Parks, she took on the challenge of adding color and history to the other side of the park.
Approached by the U.S. Forest Service to highlight the Mann Gulch fire in her mural, Perpignano embraced the opportunity. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the fire.
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There will be three days of public events around the August 5th anniversary to honor the fire victims.
Events will include a movie screening of “Higgins Ridge,” wreath-making, wildfire safety tips, and a special fly-over event at the capitol featuring the plane that deployed the Mann Gulch smokejumpers, along with a speech from author Norman Maclean’s son.
Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest spokesperson Chiara Cipriano mentioned, “We’re hosting multiple events in town to honor the memories of the men. This mural stands as a tribute to their memory in the heart of our town.”
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The mural on the north side of the tunnel will focus on the Mann Gulch fire, featuring Miss Montana and the smokejumpers, while the south side will showcase Gates of the Mountain, quotes from Meriwether Lewis, and a tribute to the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest.
To prevent vandalism, an anti-graffiti coating will be applied to preserve Perpignano’s work. She aims to finish the project by August.
