Five years later, Granite Mountain Hotshots still being memorialized
Feb 19, 2018, 4:06 PM
In this photo shot by firefighter Andrew Ashcraft, members of the Granite Mountain Hotshots watch a growing wildfire that later swept over and killed the crew of 19 firefighters near Yarnell, Ariz., Sunday, June 30, 2013. (AP Photo/Courtesy of Juliann Ashcraft)
(AP Photo/Courtesy of Juliann Ashcraft)
PHOENIX — A Granite Mountain Hotshots buggy was sent to California to memorialize 19 members of the group that died in the Yarnell Hill Fire nearly five years ago.
The buggy will be featured in the rebuilt Los Angeles County Fire Museum, which is moving to a larger location and set to open in April or May.
The Yarnell Hill Fire, which was caused by lightning and burned more than 8,400 acres of land in June of 2013, destroyed 129 buildings and took the lives of the 19 City of Prescott firefighters.
It was the deadliest event to occur to a group of firefighters at once since the 9/11 terrorist attack.
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The Hotshots Tribute Wall was built inside of the Granite Mountain Hotshots Memorial State Park in Yarnell was created in memory of the firefighters.
An online museum that displays photos and information from the event was also created.
Now a third monument to the event stands as the buggy has found its permanent home at the Los Angeles County Fire Museum.
A monument has also been planed to be placed on the Yavapai County Courthouse Plaza among other artifacts left on the Tribute Fence, which was built shortly after the fire and decorated by grievers as a temporary monument to the hotshots.
Proposals for the new monument outside the courthouse have been narrowed down to three finalists from 12 original submissions.
“The goal is to have the design completely out to the public (by June 30),” said Bruce Martinez, a retired Prescott Fire Chief who was asked to oversee proposal requests.
