On August 5th, 1949, Mann Gulch was the site of one of the most well-known fire incidents in history. Thirteen young men lost their lives, most of whom were part of an elite group of firefighters known as smokejumpers. 75 years later we have not forgotten their sacrifice or the lessons we learned about fire behavior, safety protocols, equipment, and crew training that are still relevant for all wildland firefighters today.
Walking Mall Event – Montana Discovery Foundation in partnership with Ten Mile Creek Brewing will unveil a special commemorative beer. There will be other community member displays on the walking mall including smokejumpers from the Missoula base, a wreath-making event, and a few demonstrations that model fire behavior alongside booths to inform community members how to harden their homes/create defensible space around their properties.