Emotional honor cordon for firefighter in South Lake Tahoe

It was an emotional scene on Thursday morning in South Lake Tahoe as the local community came together with members of multiple fire agencies, the Forest Service and law enforcement to say goodbye to Michael "Mikey" Hallenbeck, the firefighter who lost his life on August 8 while fighting his first fire.

An impressive line of 50 vehicles lined Highway 50 through Meyers under a flag which was draped between two ladder trucks, while another 50 vehicles participated in the procession from the "Y" in South Lake Tahoe, through the parking lot at Sierra-at-Tahoe where Hallenbeck worked, down the highway to the 21-year-old's final resting spot in Rescue, CA.

Cars traveling through town were stopped for the procession, many getting out of their cars to pay tribute.

Firefighters in the Placerville and Shingle Springs area lined the overpasses in tribute as the procession passed under.

Hallenbeck's father Kirby is a member of a ham radio operator group in their hometown of Shingle Springs. They lined the pedestrian overpass on Coloma Street in Placerville to honor the young man.

C.J. Norvell came to South Lake Tahoe from Oklahoma to help coordinate today's activities. Her job is with the Forest Service National Incident Management Organization which goes into communities to help make sure everything works out logistically between all of the agencies involved when honoring a fallen firefighter. "Everyone wants to help and be part of it," said Norvell of the brotherhood and sisterhood of the Forest Service.

"Every agency we needed to coordinate with has been over the top to help," she added.