The problem of a heating source acting on a certain part of a beam surface and moving along it with given speed is solved. It is shown that the most significant role in formation of the beam deflection under loading by a compression force is played by concentrated moments occurring at the moving boundary of the heating source. It is noted that for a source speed less than some critical value, the beam deflection is essentially nonmonotonic. In this case, the largest beam bending deflection occurs when the source speed reaches a value corresponding to the Euler critical force.