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2026 WOR: Strawberry Fire Tree Strike Fatality – Justin Beebe

Letter to Leadership |  Day 1  |  Day 2  |  Day 3  |  Day 4  |  Day 5  |  Day 6  |  Day 7  

 

Today we honor Justin Beebe by reflecting on and working to take forward a personal and collective lesson from the Strawberry Fire. 

Justin Beebe, August 13, 2016

Incident Summary:

The lightning-caused Strawberry Fire started on August 8, 2016, in Great Basin National Park and quickly grew across rough terrain. The Lolo Interagency Hotshot Crew arrived on August 10 to help limit the fire’s spread to the West. On August 13, Justin Beebe, a new member of Lolo’s Saw Team 1, was cutting a large snag that was hung up and supported by another tree. As he was “stepping” it down, the snag pivoted unexpectedly, and the upper portion struck Justin as he attempted to escape. Medics initiated immediate care, and he was extracted by short haul helicopter. Despite these efforts, Justin did not survive his injuries.

Justin Beebe sought challenges, pushed himself to achieve his goals, thrived in team environments, and had a tireless work ethic. His supervisors described him as a man of great character and humbleness. He died while realizing his ultimate dream working as a wildland firefighter. He was an avid mountain man and true Vermonter who knew how to live and love life and those he shared it with. His loved ones ask that you take a long walk in the woods to honor him.

Discussion: 

Justin was filling a position vacated when a regular saw team member accepted an assignment as Crew Boss Trainee. It was an opportunity to demonstrate his skills for a possible sawyer position in the future. This event occurred within a context that is familiar across the fire community: high-value operational tasks, the strong desire to contribute, gain experience, prove competence, pride in one’s abilities, and the pull of crew belonging. A duality exists that many traits inherent in firefighters and necessary to successfully perform the job also influence risk perception and decisions.

  • What traits or mindsets do you rely on to do your job (confidence, experience, drive, efficiency, perseverance)? How might those same strengths increase your willingness to take on risk?
  • How might these desires and opportunities to perform influence how we predict, communicate, and mitigate hazards? Does working as a trainee or filler change how you assess hazards? 
  • What effect do the perceived rewards and consequences have on choosing to continue when a task is not going as planned? What are some ways we can reward stepping back and reassessing?
  • How do individuals get chosen for these “high-value operational tasks” on your unit?  What are the benefits and drawbacks to doing it this way?

References:

Strawberry Fire Tree Strike Fatality
National Fallen Firefighters Foundation - Justin R. Beebe
Shawn Faiella - Did That Really Happen?
 

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NWCG Latest Announcements

2025 Wildland Fire EMS Awards

Date:  June 12, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Emergency Medical Committee

The NWCG Emergency Medical Committee (EMC) announces the recipients of the 2025 Wildland Fire Emergency Medical Service (EMS) Awards. EMC annually recognizes individuals and groups who have demonstrated outstanding actions or accomplishments that are above and beyond the expectation of one’s normal mission or job duties.

Congratulations to all the awardees and nominees. Through leadership and initiative, they have made significant contributions to the safety of the wildland fire community. These awards are well deserved.

References:

2025 Wildland Fire EMS Awards

Emergency Medical Committee

Incident Position Standards and the Next Generation Position Task Book Now Available for RAMP

Date:  June 12, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Airtanker Base Operations Unit

NWCG is excited to announce that Incident Position Standards and the Next Generation Position Task Book are now available for Ramp Manager (RAMP).

The Performance Support Package for this position was developed as part of the Incident Performance and Training Modernization effort. These resources support trainees, qualified personnel, and evaluators in their respective roles.

Any changes to qualification pathways will take effect with the next update of the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1, scheduled for release in January 2027.

References:

NWCG Ramp Manager Position Page

National Interagency Aviation Committee

Make an Impact: Serve the Wildland Fire Community as an IPTM SME!

Date:  June 11, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: NWCG SME Specialist

Note: Positions with an * will last approximately 6 months.
Positions with ** will last 12 - 18 months.

NWCG is seeking experienced wildland firefighters and support personnel to serve as Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) for the Incident Performance and Training Modernization (IPTM) initiative. IPTM aims to transition NWCG’s training and qualification system to a performance-based model by updating position descriptions, Incident Position Standards, Next Generation Position Task Books (Next Gen PTBs), and training where needed.

NWCG is currently recruiting SMEs for the Fall 2026 positions listed below:

  • Equipment Manager (EQPM)*
  • Fixed Wing Parking Tender (FWPT)**
  • Mixmaster (MXMS)*
  • Public Information Officer Complex (PIOC)*
  • Retardant Crewmember (RTCM)*
  • Strike Team Leader Crew (STCR)*
  • Strike Team Leader Engine (STEN)*
  • Strike Team Leader Heavy Equipment (STEQ)*
  • Task Force Leader (TFLD)**
  • Wildland Fire Investigator (INVF)** 

Projects begin October 2026. Sign up by July 10, 2026, at the link below and review the attached document for additional details. 

References:

NWCG SME Interest Sign-up

IPTM Subject Matter Expert Duties and Expectations Document

Incident Performance and Training Modernization (IPTM)

RMC Safety Bulletin 26-001: Rhabdomyolysis in Wildland Firefighters

Date:  May 28, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Risk Management Committee

The Risk Management Committee (RMC) has issued Safety Bulletin 26-001: Rhabdomyolysis in Wildland Firefighters. Research from 2016 to 2025 shows that 88 cases of rhabdomyolysis (rhabdo) were reported. Analysis of reports from eSafety, the Safety Management Information System (SMIS), and the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center (LLC) indicates that rhabdo is common during this time of year due to Work Capacity Tests and contributing factors such as weather, hydration, nutrition, and medication or supplement use.

RMC issued this safety bulletin to raise awareness in the Wildland Fire Community, and to provide research findings and educational resources that support reducing future cases of rhabdo.

References:

NWCG Alerts

RMC Safety Bulletin 26-001: Rhabdomyolysis in Wildland Firefighters