12 years later: Remembering the Granite Mountain Hotshots
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A plaque honoring the fallen Granite Mountain Hotshots is shown at a memorial service in 2013. Photo: Michael Chow-Pool/Getty Images
Twelve years ago, 19 wildland firefighters perished while battling the Yarnell Hill Fire outside of Prescott in northern Arizona.
The big picture: It was the largest loss of life among U.S. firefighters since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
- The blaze consumed 8,300 acres and destroyed nearly 130 structures in and around Yarnell, a small town with a population of about 700 people.
More than a decade later, much of the burn scar has healed, homes have been rebuilt and memorials erected to honor the fallen firefighters — but the tragedy remains a cornerstone of Yarnell's identity and a reminder of the community's resilience.
Catch up quick: A lightning strike ignited the fire in the drought-stricken terrain on June 28, 2013.
- On June 30, a dramatic and unexpected wind shift sent the flames roaring south at a pace three times faster than had previously been recorded, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information.
- All but one of the 20 Granite Mountain Hotshots — a wildfire crew within the Prescott Fire Department — were cut off from their escape routes and engulfed by the fire.
The intrigue: Despite the significant loss of life and property, FEMA denied Arizona's request for a major disaster declaration, which would have opened federal funding for property owners with damage or destruction.
- FEMA said "the damage was not of such severity and magnitude as to be beyond the combined capabilities of the state, affected local governments and voluntary agencies."
Between the lines: The state and local governments provided some assistance, but the bulk of the recovery fell largely on the shoulders of the private sector and individual donors.
- Private donations covered the rebuilding of the 30 uninsured homes destroyed by the fire.
- The 100 Club of Arizona raised $4.6 million that was distributed to the families of the deceased firefighters, The Arizona Republic reported.
- Other charitable organizations, including the Arizona Community Foundation and Yavapai County Community Foundation, provided much of the immediate financial support for the town's recovery.
💠Our thought bubble: The Arizona community showed the very best version of itself in the weeks and months after the Yarnell Hill Fire.
- From neighbors opening their homes to those who'd lost everything to strangers opening their pocketbooks to help a small town many Arizonans had never heard of before the fire — the entire state rallied to ease the community's pain.
The bottom line: The Granite Mountain Interagency Hotshot Crew Learning and Tribute Center opened in Prescott in 2018.
- It has exhibits honoring the Yarnell 19, including a display of some of the items left at memorials for the hotshots in the weeks following their deaths, and hosts educational workshops to help homeowners prevent wildfire risks.