Colorado Fire Crew Honors Fallen Heroes at Movie Nights

For 43 years, the people of Glade Park, Colorado have gathered under the stars to watch movies on a dirt lot, and every burger sold helps keep their volunteer firefighters ready to respond.

The tiny Mesa County community sits high above Grand Junction in rugged terrain so remote that firefighters often have to hike miles to reach wildfires. Their Movies Under the Stars fundraiser isn't just a summer tradition. It's what makes protecting hundreds of square miles of wilderness possible.

But when the event returns this Friday, it will carry new weight. Just two weeks ago, the Snyder fire became the largest wildfire this community has ever seen, killing three federal firefighters and injuring two others.

Fire Chief Bill Perrin and eight of his volunteers were among the first responders that morning in late June. The wind gusts reached 60 miles per hour, making it hard to even stand. When the lightning-sparked blaze dropped off the mesa, it exploded in size.

"You could just watch the smoke boil in this huge column," Perrin said. "That's a fearful sight to be standing that close."

His all-volunteer crew has shed many tears since that day. This Friday, they'll wear buttons bearing the faces of the fallen firefighters as they serve burgers and hot dogs to hundreds of moviegoers.

Why This Inspires

Movies Under the Stars has drawn families for decades, transforming what was once a drive-in into a giant community picnic. People drive the winding half-hour road up the mesa, past canyon walls and through Colorado National Monument, just to be there.

Steve Flynn, who's both a firefighter and grill cook, once served 600 hamburgers in three hours to more than 700 people. Every volunteer working the event is unpaid, from the cooks to the hay ride operators to the bingo callers.

Leo Moreno has been bringing his family for 20 years. With a baby in one arm and burgers in the other, he explains why it's worth the drive. His kids can play freely while meteors occasionally streak across Glade Park's famously dark sky, drawing cheers from the crowd.

The movies are free, so the department relies entirely on food sales to fund their equipment and training. No one can bring outside food. That's how a community tradition becomes a lifeline for the people who protect it.

Janice Shepherd remembers when they used to project films onto a white sheet. Now there's a real screen and better sound, but it's always been about more than entertainment.

Friday's screening will open with a moment of silence for the three fallen firefighters. Chief Perrin never met them personally, but as he says, all firefighters watch each other's backs.

Under the stars this weekend, a community will gather not just to remember loss, but to support the volunteers who stand ready to face the next dragon.