Montana’s U.S. Senators have signed onto a resolution honoring American firefighters who died on duty while serving in Australia. One of the honored men hailed from Great Falls.
A bipartisan group of 30 senators are cosponsoring the Senate resolution that honors the nearly two decades of cooperation and shared resources fighting wildland fires in the two countries.
It also honors the three American firefighters who died in the crash of a large air tanker in the New South Wales region of Australia in January including Captain Ian McBeth of Great Falls, a Montana Air National Guard pilot.
More than 300 American firefighters have been mobilized to Australia since December of 2019 to help combat the devastating wildfires.
More than 100 Australian firefighters came to this country in August 2018 to help contain wildfires in California, Oregon and Washington state.
Congressman Greg Gianforte signed onto a similar resolution in the House in January.
Wyoming Senators John Barrasso and Mike Enzi have also signed the resolution.
