Colorado Firefighter Dies in Crash Fighting Australian Fires

On January 23, three American firefighters died in an air tanker crash fighting Australian wildfires in the Southeast Snowy Monaro region of New South Wales.

Ian McBeth, 44, from Wray, Colorado, was one of those firefighters.

McBeth's wife and three children will now continue life without him.

He graduated from Wray High School, served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as serving in the Wyoming and Montana National Guards.

The cause of the crash has yet to be determined.

The Montana Air National Guard said on their Facebook page:

Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family as they navigate this painful and tragic situation. It is never an easy thing to manage, the loss of a brother in arms affects us all. Please know through difficult times such as these you are never alone. Don’t hesitate to reach out and lean on each other as we navigate this loss together.