Seven years ago today, nineteen members of of the Granite Mountain Hotshots lost their lives in the Yarnell Hill Fire. All deaths fighting wildfire hurt when you’re USFS and a former FF yourself, but this one hurt bad. My wife and I lived in Yavapai County for many years and I have an A.A. from Yavapai College in Prescott (finishing in Tucson). As HenryAz will tell you, the town of Yarnell sits up on a hill of the same name, above the small town of Congress, Arizona. From Yarnell the highway heads north to Prescott where the Hotshots were part of the Prescott FD. IIRC, this was the first Interagency Type 1 crew affiliated with a municipal FD—all the others are federal: USFS, BLM, and NPS. They worked very hard to become certified as a Type 1 crew, and deserve respect just for getting over all the necessary hurdles to do so. Only one member of the 20-man crew survived; he was separated from the others, acting as an observer. Rest in peace, men

I got home last night, and this morning drove to pick up some glasses that were in for repair. A large flag at a retirement community was at half-staff. I wondered why.

It was for the Granites, as it turned out. Completely slipped my mind that this is the day.

I was there. It doesn't feel like seven years ago.

I worked with one of the hotshots at store in Prescott.

I was out of state when they died and drove back in for his memorial service. They are sorely missed.

May God bless the families of the fallen on this day of remembrance.

That was horrible. RIP

 
We live about 15 miles due south of the mountains on which Yarnell sits. We watched the fire from the outset, from our kitchen window, but all we saw was smoke, as the actual fire was on the north side of the mountain.
 
Then, on that Sunday afternoon, we witnessed the event that caused those deaths, without knowing it at the time. Late in the afternoon, a thunderstorm started rolling southwest across Yarnell and the fire. We were watching and all of a sudden, in just an instant, the entire top of the mountain was in flames. The storm had quickly reversed the course of the fire, trapping the Hotshots. After a short time, the fire resumed its northward course.
 
The Hotshots are still strongly remembered by those of us who live in the area. AZ built a memorial that bridges the mountain top at the fire site. It is a state park, and can be accessed from AZ 89 on its climb up Yarnell Hill, or from the town of Yarnell.

Was the movie "Only the Brave" based on the story of these guys and that fire?

I know it is probably the Hollywood drama and storytelling but it definitely caused my allergies to kick up.

Yeah, as I recall, it’s a pretty good movie

quote:

Originally posted by stu1000rr:
Was the movie "Only the Brave" based on the story of these guys and that fire?

I know it is probably the Hollywood drama and storytelling but it definitely caused my allergies to kick up.

Yes, it's based on Yarnell. I haven't seen the movie. I went to each of the book promotions, spoke to the Authors (four major titles, as I recall); each one was inaccurate. I had no desire to see the movie for the same reason, although I was portrayed in it.

After all the hype about the event and the hero-making, the most basic truth of the event, that the hotshots were ordered to go do structure protection in Yarnell, and the coverups at the USFS and AZ State Fire, the entire event left more than a bad taste.

Two different opposing investigations, with the feds refusing to let their teams be interviewed, and the opposite from the federal side to the state, and then a city team (Prescott) involved, it was a mess. That's to say nothing of the tape which emerged later, shot with a cell phone through an engine (truck) window during the blow-up. It caught the last known radio transmission from the hotshots, screaming for help, and the ASM/Leadplane overhead ordering them to maintain radio silence and get off the radio.

Fuckup doesn't begin to describe it. Those men were killed. And way, way out of their depth. But at least everyone feels good putting the fire to rest with a monument and a movie.

One of the firefighters was from Orange County CA and his parents live in Seal Beach.

A section of the 405 freeway is dedicated to him and is called the “Hotshot Firefighter Kevin J. Woyjeck Memorial Highway” by way of a sign where the section begins.