Incident Name: fireworks wildfire near Jump Off Joe Butte in Benton Co, WA.
Date: July 4, 1992
Personnel: Paul K Bjorklund
Age: one month short of 26 years old
Agency/Organization: Benton County Fire District #1, Kennewick, WA
Position: wildland firefighter
Summary: On the 4th of July, 1992, fireworks ignited a wildfire on Jump Off Joe Butte. Paul Bjorklund, a 26-year-old firefighter, was killed while trying to put out the fire. He was riding on the back of a brush truck, manning a water nozzle, when the driver lost control, the truck rolled on the steep slope, and crushed Bjorklund.
Maps
accident location unknown,
duty base was Benton County Fire District #1, Kennewick, WA
{mosmap lat=’46.227487’|lon=’-119.240587’|marker=’0’|text=’Benton County Fire District #1′}
Reports, Documentation, Lessons Learned
- USFA Memorial Database: Paul K Bjorklund
- Ancestral File: Paul Kenneth Bjorklund
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Wildlandfire.com Links:
Media Articles and Reports
- Be Safe this 4th of JulyJune 29, 2012 | Tri City Herald
In 1992, Paul Bjorklund, a 26-year-old firefighter, was killed while trying to put out a fire on Jump Off Joe Butte that was started by fireworks. He was riding on the back of a fire truck when the truck rolled on the steep slope.
Photos, Videos, & Tributes
- Blue Mountain Community Foundation: Field of Interest Fund, Paul Bjorklund Firefighter Development Fund for professional development opportunities to firefighters in the Athena, Oregon, Volunteer Fire Department, Pendleton Fire Department and the Benton County Fire District #1
- Find A Grave : Paul K BjorklundHeadstone in the Athena Cemetary, Athena, Umatilla County, OR; Athena is where he grew up and his parents (Ken and Dorothy Bjorklund) live:
- Valley Herald, Milton-Freewater OR, July 8 1992, Front Page, Obit on Page 5, “Son of Ken & Dorothy Bjorklund… Fire-related accident claims life of former Athena resident”
- Paul and other LODDs were honored by his fire department, Benton County Fire District 1 in Kenniwick, WA, in 2012 on the 20th anniversary of his death. He continues to be remembered.
Contributors to this article: Sammie
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