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Wildland Firefighter Monument History

After the tragic 1994 wildland fire season, when 34 firefighters perished, Vicki Minor, wildland fire support contractor and a woman with a vision, decided to do something to honor wildland firefighters.  Because of her dedication, a Monument site was identified at the National Interagency Fire Center to honor past, present and future firefighters and the people who support them.

Concept drawing of the now complete Wildland Firefighter Memorial site. Boise artist, and NIFC employee, Antonia Hedrick created the area concept for the site.

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Landscape architect, Lesa Stark, Vicki Minor and artist Lawrence Nowlan discuss the layout of the future site. Construction became reality and the building began.  More than 3,000 cubic yards of soil was donated by Central Paving of Boise to lay the foundation for the Monument site.

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As the site began to take shape, volunteers donated hundreds of hours
to transform tons of soil into a place of reflection. 

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Tons of rock were carefully placed by volunteers to create this soothing water feature located at the heart of the Monument. Native rock was gathered from a local quarry through the dedicated efforts of the Boise Smokejumpers.

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Native flowers, grasses, shrubs and trees were planted throughout the Monument to reflect the vegetation of the surrounding wildlands.

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Larger-than-life statues were developed by artist Lawrence Nowlan
to represent wildland firefighters at work on the fireline. 

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MAY 31 - BOISE, IDAHO
Opening Ceremonies

The drone of approaching firefighting aircraft - a C-130 and a smokejumper DC-3 - brought a hush over the crowd assembled for the dedication of the Wildland Firefighter Monument last Thursday. The sound, familiar to everyone in the wildland firefighting community, evoked a flood of memories of life on the firelines, of camaraderie that lasts a lifetime. But on this day, as the planes passed slowly overhead, it wasn't a shower of retardant or parachutes that dropped from the bellies of the planes; instead, they released a cluster of purple streamers which drifted gently through the sky, coming to rest amid the colorful spring wildflowers in the new Monument at the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC). 

Firefighters, their families and friends, came from across the nation to dedicate this monument in honor of America's wildland firefighters and the people who support them. Interagency hotshot crews, Native American firefighters, smokejumpers, representatives of state and local fire, rescue and emergency medical teams, pilots and military support staff were present.

Families and friends of those who had lost their lives, and firefighters who will long be remembered for their courage and commitment, were also in attendance. The audience listened intently, as  representatives of all of the wildland firefighting community paid tribute to the efforts and sacrifices of wildland firefighters...

All donations are tax-deductible and support ongoing maintenance and improvements of the monument and the site.