The California Fire Foundation hosted its Annual California Firefighters Memorial Ceremony and Recessional at Capitol Park in Sacramento on Saturday, Oct. 3, commemorating California Firefighters Memorial Day and honoring the brave firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to communities across the state – from Greater Los Angeles to Sacramento.
The event recognized 37 firefighters whose names were newly inscribed on the expanded California Firefighters Memorial Wall, joining 1,593 others honored since California became a state in 1850.
The ceremony took place during October Firefighter Appreciation Month, a statewide initiative recognizing more than 38,000 firefighters who protect California.
Darrell Roberts – chair of the foundation and president of California Professional Firefighters, a labor organization – spoke at the ceremony and joined more than 800 guests, including the families of fallen firefighters, hundreds of uniformed firefighters and other dignitaries. These included Daniel Terry, president-emeritus of California Professional Firefighters; Mike Lopez, secretary-treasurer of the foundation; and Attorney General Rob Bonta.
The foundation has seen a 45% increase in deaths related to post-traumatic stress injury (PTSI) among firefighters represented among its honorees since 2025, underscoring the profound risks faced by the fire service. Cancer continues to be the leading cause of death in the fire service, according to California Professional Firefighters.
The ceremony marked the advance of Phase 2 of the California Firefighters Memorial Wall Expansion Project, which is expected to conclude in 2027. This expansion will allow for the addition of names of the fallen for the next 100 years, while accommodating present and future tributes and enhancing the memorial’s functionality as a ceremonial gathering space.
