LATEST: Gov. Brian Sandoval ordered flags to half-staff Wednesday from sunrise to sunset to honor Justin Beebe, a firefighter with the Lolo Hotshot Crew based in Missoula, Montana, who died this past weekend.
Also Wednesday, firefighters with the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Clark County, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, and a variety of other local agencies paid their respects to Beebe by providing an escort to the North Las Vegas Airport.
UPDATE: Justin Beebe's family released a statement following his death this past weekend.
"Justin devoted his life to woods and people, and that was his focus. He loved being out of doors. That was what called him."
His parents, Sheldon and Betsy Beebe, say their son had worked as a logger in New England and on his family's farm in Westminster, Vermont, where they produced maple syrup.
They describe him as a charismatic, rugged Vermonter who devoted his life to the woods and people. Beebe had hoped to become a paramedic.
His former coach also remembered the firefighter.
"Just was a friend to everybody," Bob Lockerby said. "I don't think he had an enemy in the world."
ORIGINAL STORY
BAKER, Nev. (KTNV) -- A firefighter from Vermont was killed while working the Strawberry Fire in Great Basin National Park.
26-year-old Justin Beebe of Bellows Falls, Vermont, was injured when he was struck by a tree during firefighting efforts on Saturday afternoon, according to Great Basin National Park officials. He later died of his injuries.
He was a member of the Lolo Hotshots based in Region 1 with the U.S. Forest Service.
The Forest Service is investigating this line-of-duty death.
“This loss of life is tragic and heartbreaking,” said Park Superintendent Steve Mietz in a statement. “Please keep the family and Forest Service employees in your thoughts and prayers during this time.”
The Strawberry Fire started on Aug. 8 and is being managed jointly by Great Basin Incident Management Team 7, the National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management.
