California Wildland Firefighter Memorial Dedication

The final dedication ceremony for the California Wildland Firefighter Memorial is scheduled for Saturday, October 8, 2011 at 10:00 A.M. The Memorial has been a work in progress since 1995. It is located just west of Highway 74 (Ortega Highway) on South Main divide Road about eight miles west of Lake Elsinore. Event signs will be set up to aid in finding the event.

The California Wildland Firefighter Memorial (CFWM) is a tribute to firefighters that have paid the ultimate sacrifice fighting wildland fires in the State of California. Conception came about in 1995 when a group of retirees, fire survivors, CAL FIRE, and USDA Forest Service sought to repair and replace missing markers from the Decker Fire of 1959. This fire killed 6 firefighters within the Santa Ana Mountains above Lake Elsinore.

Presently the Memorial site consists of a circular area containing a red brick Maltese cross in the center with a rock wall behind in a semi-circle. Picnic benches and tables are placed around the perimeter with native plants integrated into the Memorial area. The serene tree filled area promotes the tranquility that inspires the Memorial and its purpose. http://www.cwfm.info/