Fallen Hero

James Frizzell
U.S. Forestry Service, Mena - April 25, 1984

On April 25, 1984 a fire started in logging slash on the Mena District of the Ouachita National Forest.  The area experienced high fire danger on this day, with a number of new starts that all saw unusually high fire behavior for the fuel conditions.  Keener and Frizzell, both of Waldron, were members of the Poteau Tractor Crew.  Ground crews were conducting a burnout operation, when there was a tremendous build up of the fire.  The ground crews disengaged, and approximately 5-10 minutes later the bodies of Keener and Frizzell were discovered, both were overrun by the fire. 

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