Procession to honor fallen air tanker pilot on Tuesday, July 30

Published 7:45 pm Monday, July 29, 2024

JOHN DAY — The body of the pilot who died battling a wildfire in Grant County will be transported for final disposition on Tuesday, July 30, accompanied by an escort to honor his sacrifice.

James Bailey Maxwell, 74, was killed on July 25 when his single-engine air tanker crashed near Seneca. Maxwell had been dropping flame retardant on a lightning-sparked blaze in the vicinity of the Falls Fire, working on contract for the Bureau of Land Management. 

The procession accompanying Maxwell’s remains is scheduled to leave downtown John Day at 11 a.m., heading east on Highway 26, the Grant County Emergency Management Office announced.

Members of the public who wish to pay their respects are invited to watch the procession as it moves through town.