FLAX
FLAX WERE
FLAX WERE AT HALF STAFF TODAY IN HONOR OF THE GRANITE
MOUNTAIN HOTSHOTS.
MOUNTAIN HOTSHOTS. THEY WERE FIGHTING YARNELL HILL
FIRE .
FIRE .
FIRE . >>
FIRE . >> 19 FACES, 19 FIREFIGHTERS,
AND 19 REASONS.
THIS IS THE SIXTH ANNIVERSARY
OF THE GRANITE MOUNTAIN
HOTSHOTS.
HOTSHOTS.
HOTSHOTS. WE HAVE THEIR STORY.
>> I REMEMBER THE DAY WE FOUND
OUT WHAT HAPPENED . 19
FIREFIGHTERS HAD BEEN KILLED.
I THOUGHT IT WAS A MISTAKE.
IT WAS NOT.
THIS WOULD CHANGE FOREVER.
>> SIX YEARS AGO THE SMALL TOWN
OF YARNELL UNDER EVACUATION.
THERE WERE FLAMES COMING ON THE
TOWN.
TOWN.
TOWN. NONE OF THEM DO 19 FIREFIGHTERS
WERE ALREADY IN TROUBLE.
THE GRANITE MOUNTAIN HOTSHOTS
WERE FRONT-LINE, THEY WERE CUT
OFF FROM THEIR ESCAPE ROUTE.
THEY WERE HEADED TO A RANCH
THAT THEY THOUGHT WAS A SAFE
PLACE.
PLACE.
PLACE. THEY DID NOT MAKE IT.
>> ON SCENE, 18.
>> WHEN THEY GOT THERE THEY
FOUND THEM.
FOUND THEM. FIRST THERE WAS 18, AND 19.
THEY WERE ALL TOGETHER.
>> THE ENTIRE CREW WAS LOST.
WE LOST 19 PEOPLE.
>> HE WAS THERE BOSS.
KEVIN, TRAVIS AND RAID -- AND
WADE, AND THE OTHERS, HE HAD TO
TELL THE FAMILIES THEY WERE
GONE.
GONE.
GONE. >>
GONE. >> I COULD HEAR THEM
UNCONTROLLABLY WAILING.
UNCONTROLLABLY WAILING. >> LETTING HIM GO.
>> THERE WAS ONE SURVIVOR.
HE WAS THE LOOKOUT.
HE SAW THE WIND CHANGE 180
DEGREES.
DEGREES.
DEGREES. HE RADIOED THEM TO EVACUATE.
THREE MINUTES LATER HE WAS
EVACUATED.
EVACUATED. THE FIRE HAD TAKEN THE HELP.
>> PRESCOTT WILL NEVER BE THE
SAME.
SAME.
SAME. >>
SAME. >> IT WOULD BE EASY TO THINK
THE STORY ENDED THERE.
THERE WERE FUNERALS, MEMORIALS
DEDICATED TO THEIR MEMORY.
>> IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE TRIBUTE.
IT DID NOT.
THERE WERE INVESTIGATIONS AND
LAWSUITS, FIGHTS AND PAYING
BENEFITS.
BENEFITS.
BENEFITS. EVENTUALLY THEY WERE SETTLED.
EVERY YEAR WHEN THE ANNIVERSARY
COMES THE PAIN RETURNS.
>> EVERY SINGLE PERSON CAN
REMEMBER EXACTLY WHERE THEY
WERE WHEN THEY HEARD THE NEWS.
>> WE UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED.
WE WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND WHY
PICK
PICK
PICK >>
PICK >> ON ANY GIVEN DAY YOU CAN
RENT TO SOMEONE THAT SEEMS LIKE
YESTERDAY.
YESTERDAY. >> IT HAS BEEN SIX YEARS.
TIME MOVES ON.
THE PAIN OF THAT DAY FADES
SLOWER.
SLOWER.
SLOWER. >>> THIS IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.
THEY ARE HONORING GRANITE
MOUNTAIN HOTSHOTS . THEY WANT
TO REMEMBER THOSE WHO DIED AND
ALSO TO RETELL THE STORY OF THE
ENTIRE FIRE.
ENTIRE FIRE. >> WHAT THAT DAY WAS LIKE FOR
ALL OF US.
WE ARE HONORING THE 19, GIVING
OUR RESIDENTS WHAT WE ARE
ENVISIONING.
ENVISIONING. MANY PEOPLE WANT TO GET THIS
PART FINISHED.
PART FINISHED. >> THE TOWN OF YARNELL WANTS TO
FINISH THE MEMORIAL PARK.