Fallen USFS firefighter on his first fire
By Dana Griffin, KCRA-TV
A rookie U.S. Forest Service firefighter killing while fighting a fire near Lake Tahoe was remembered as a hard worker who sacrificed his life for others.
Michael Hallenbeck
Michael Hallenbeck, 21, of Shingle Springs, died when a tree came crashing down on him Saturday evening while he was battling the Sierra Fire in Eldorado National Forest.
Hallenbeck was based out of the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit.
“There’s hazards everywhere, and the Forest Service is always trying to have that balance of protecting our wildland firefighters,” USFS spokeswoman Cheva Gabor said. “Their safety is of utmost importance to us.”