HEATHER CASPI
Firehouse.com News

Memorial services for the two California pilots killed in Monday's airtanker collision will take place on Monday and Tuesday.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection pilots, Lars Stratte and Larry Groff, were killed in the first mid-air collision in the history of the department. Their Grumman S-2 airtankers collided while making fire retardant drops on the Bus Fire in Mendocino County.

Lars Stratte, of Chico, was 45. Larry Groff, of Santa Rosa, was 55.

Services for Lars Stratte will take place at 11 a.m. on Monday, September 3, in Redding. Services for Larry Groff will take place on Tuesday, September 4, in Santa Rosa. Locations to be announced.

In a prepared statement, CDF Director Andrea Tuttle said, "All of CDF is mourning. On behalf of the department, I extend our heartfelt sorrow to the families of the pilots, their friends, fellow pilots, and the entire CDF family."

According to the Associated Press, Stratte's neighbors described him as a loving father. They said he enjoyed his work, but when he was learning to fly fire missions in the S-2, he always tried to fly home in time to catch the last few innings of one of his son's baseball games.

The AP says Groff had a 16-year-old stepson, and spent the last two nonfire seasons flying United Nations cargo planes full of relief food to Sudan.

A fund has been set up in memory of both pilots. Those wishing to make a contribution can send their donations to: