More than 125 people celebrated the opening of the Luke Sheehy Memorial Fitness Park in the Bureau of Land Management Swasey Recreation Area near Redding, California last Saturday.
The park is a tribute to Luke Sheehy, a U.S. Forest Service Smokejumper from Susanville who died in the line of duty and is dedicated to all wildland firefighters.
“Luke continues to be an inspiration to the wildland firefighting community,” said Josh Mathiesen of the California Smokejumpers. “We hope this fitness park will be a lasting tribute to our friend and colleague.”
Sheehy died on June 10th, 2013, after parachuting in to fight a fire in the Warner Wilderness of the U.S. Forest Service-Modoc National Forest in northeast California. He was struck by a falling tree limb, while digging a fire line.
Sheehy, who grew up here in Susanville, had been a member of the Redding-based California Smokejumpers since 2009. He previously served with the Bureau of Land Management’s Diamond Mountain Hotshots and on engine and helitack crews with CAL FIRE.
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