California firefighters mourn death of U.S. Forest Service Battalion Chief Gary Helming

Gary Helming was a seasoned firefighter who was well-known for “bringing order out of chaos,” colleagues say. So when the Los Padres National Forest battalion chief perished in a car crash last week, his death shocked wildfire authorities throughout California.

On Wednesday, local and federal fire authorities gathered in Santa Maria to attend a memorial service for the 47-year-old.

“Our hearts go out to Gary’s family, the Forest Service and the wildland fire community. He exemplified the highest standards of honor and professionalism,” Los Padres Deputy Forest Supervisor Ken Heffner said. “Gary was a tremendous leader, partner and thoughtful person who engaged with everyone. He will be greatly missed.”

Helming died Aug. 31 after a head-on collision. He was driving home from a fire near Yosemite, authorities say.

He had been fighting the Railroad fire near the Sierra National Forest last week before making his way back home to Pismo Beach.

A pickup truck in the oncoming lane suddenly got a flat tire and swerved into Helming’s truck. The driver of the other truck, 25-year-old-Antonio Avalos, of Santa Maria, was airlifted to Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno with major injuries, according to the California Highway Patrol.

A memorial service was scheduled for 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Pacific Christian Center in Santa Maria, where Helming was stationed.

He was in charge of firefighting operations in a stretch of the Los Padres National Forest that included San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties.

Andrew Madsen, a spokesman for the national forest, said Helming brought a calming influence to the job of managing a firefight, especially in the fraught early hours when manpower and resources are initially being deployed to save houses and lives.

”Gary’s specialty was bringing order out of the chaos,” he said.

Helming played a crucial role in last year’s mammoth Soberanes fire, one of the most expensive fires the U.S. Forest Service has fought.

The fire tore through 132,127 acres in Monterey County and destroyed more than 50 homes.

Kathleen Lee was the chief of staff for the Monterey County supervisor whose district was on fire last year. She worked alongside Helming as the fire raged for months and said that concerned residents seemed to draw strength from his quiet confidence.

“Gary had a confidence that was reassuring to those around him, especially when so many residents were feeling that they had little control,” she said in an email. “Not all Incident commanders would take the time to explain to residents the strategy behind a fire operation, the fire behavior and the many moving parts and logistics that factored into the decision being made — Gary did and that set him apart.”

Helming was adept at fighting large-scale fires that change constantly. He would take the time to talk with other firefighters or reporters trying to wrap their heads around a wildland fire, Madsen said.

“Firefighters know the crap from the Shinola, and he was the real deal,” he said. “People looked up to him.”

Helming began working for the Forest Service 22 years ago as a seasonal firefighter. He worked for the Bureau of Land Management and the National Park Service before returning to the Forest Service in 2013.

“Gary was loved and very well-respected in the fire community for his professionalism and knowledge, having worked in close coordination on many complex incidents with our partners,” said Randy Moore, the regional forester for the U.S. Forest Service in the Pacific Southwest Region.

UPDATES:

11:35 a.m. This article was updated with additional comments from Kathleen Lee.

This article was originally published at 10:10 a.m.