Granite Mountain Hotshots die in tragedy

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Arizona lost 19 Prescott Granite Mountain Hotshot firefighters killed in Yarnell fire on Sunday:

Nineteen members of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, part of the Prescott Fire
Department, lost their lives Sunday while battling the 2,000-acre
Yarnell Hill fire that ignited Friday south of Prescott.

The elite 20-man hotshot team is the only one in the country that is
organized through a city fire department. It earned its national
interagency hotshot designation in 2008.

Prescott Fire Department Fire Chief Dan Fraijo said the 20th crewmember was working in a different location on the fire and was not injured.

“We’re
devastated. We just lost 19 of the finest people you’ll ever meet
…Truly we’re going through a terrible crisis right now,” Fraijo said.

Sunday’s fatalities amounted to the highest firefighter death toll on a single U.S. wildfire since 1933, when 25 firefighters were killed on the Griffith Park fire in Los Angeles.

Authorities confirmed the hotshots deployed their individual fire shelters, but declined to elaborate on the details leading up to the tragedy.

An investigation into the cause of their deaths is currently under way, State Forestry Division Spokesman Mike Reichling said. Names of the deceased have not been released pending notification of next of kin.

“There will be a full investigation. We won’t put out any information until we get full confirmation from the investigation team. It could be days or weeks,” Reichling said.

A Memorial service is planned today for fallen firefighters:

The
planned Congressional Field Hearing that was scheduled for 4 p.m. today
at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University has been transitioned to a
memorial service for the firefighters killed in the Yarnell Hill fire.

Congressman Paul Gosar requested this change and will host the service.

Other
attendees will include Representatives Matt Salmon, David Schweikert
and Trent Franks, as well as Prescott Mayor Marlin Kirkendall, and other
city, county and fire officials.

At-a-glance event info

YARNELL FIRE MEMORIAL SERVICE

Monday, July 1, 2013

Start time: 4:00 p.m.

Doors Open: 3:00 p.m.

Location: Activity Center, Building 83

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

3700 Willow Creek Road

Prescott, AZ 86301

h/t Prescott’s The Daily Courier

graphic: Firefighter Remembrance Flag