Ian McBeth, Graduate Of Wray High School, Killed While Fighting Australia Wildfires
DENVER (CBS4)- Ian McBeth, a graduate of Wray High School, lost his life while volunteering to fight the wildfires in Australia. McBeth, 44, most recently lived in Great Falls, Montana, and was a lieutenant colonel with the Montana Air National Guard.
Gov. Jared Polis released a statement on Thursday night, "My deepest sympathies go out to the family of firefighter Ian McBeth who lost his life volunteering in Australia to fight the wildfires when an aerial water tanker plane crashed in New South Wales Thursday. Ian was a graduate of Wray High School in 1994. Rest In Peace."
McBeth was one of three American firefighters who were killed when the aerial water tanker they were in crashed while battling a fire near Cooma. The men who died Thursday in the crash of the C-130 Hercules were McBeth, First Officer Paul Clyde Hudson, 42, of Buckeye, Arizona; and Flight Engineer Rick A. DeMorgan Jr., 43, of Navarre, Florida.
He is survived by his wife Bowdie and three children, Abigail, Calvin and Ella.