HELENA, MT – Governor Greg Gianforte on Aug 5th, joined the Helena community in recognizing the 75th anniversary of the Mann Gulch Fire and honoring the firefighters who lost their lives.

“The historic Mann Gulch event was a tragic day in Montana’s history and for our firefighting community with the loss of 13 firefighters,” Gov. Gianforte said. “Today, we honor the brave firefighters who lost their lives and remember the risks these front-line heroes take on each day during fire season to keep our communities safe.”

During a U.S. Forest Service (USFS) ceremony at the State Capitol, the governor joined USFS officials, National Smokejumpers Association representatives, family members of lost firefighters, and the community to remember the brave men who lost their lives.

In 1949, the Mann Gulch Fire was ignited by a lightning strike in the Gates of the Mountain Wilderness. A wind event increased the footprint of the fire, blocking the firefighters’ exit.

During the ceremony, the governor noted how the tragic events of that day continue to influence the firefighting tactics, research, and training today done by the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC).

“Safety is paramount in Montana’s wildland firefighting efforts. Wildfire suppression and managing our forests help to reduce the prevalence of large fires,” said DNRC Director Amanda Kaster. “DNRC continues to focus on safe, aggressive initial attack to keep fire small and firefighters safe. Additional funding secured through the last legislative session provides more resources to fight fires safely and effectively.”

Last spring, the governor signed House Bill 883 into law allocating $60 million over the biennium to significantly increase the pace and scale of management practices that improve forest health, reduce wildfire risk and increase wildfire preparedness. House Bill 883 has allowed DNRC to bring on additional resources to drastically increase the number of wildfire aircraft available to Montana.

Concluding the ceremony, the governor highlighted the importance of active forest management to prevent wildfire and reminded all Montanans of the responsibility to prevent human-caused fires.

“This is why it is imperative that we, and our federal partners, continue to invest in strategic fuels management to help reduce wildfire risk, improve forest health, and invest in a safe and aggressive initial attack on all wildfires,” the governor added.

The governor concluded, “As we commemorate this important event and remember the valiant efforts of the firefighters that day, remember that we all have a responsibility to prevent human caused wildfires.”