The Granite Mountain Hotshots Survivor

Julie jacobson associated press by nigel duara.

The granite mountain hotshots survivor.

Every one of the granite mountain hotshots except for mcdonough was burned alive sometime after 4 30 p m. Nineteen of the 20 members of the granite mountain hotshots an elite crew trained to fight wilderness fires died on june 30 2013 as they battled a fierce fire outside the old gold mining village of yarnell arizona. They were nature conservationists athletes and above all firefighters. On june 30 2013 the yarnell hill fire claimed their lives when a firestorm roared through brush 90 miles northwest of phoenix leaving mcdonough the only survivor of the 20 man granite mountain.

Mcdonough walks back to his seat after speaking at a memorial service for the fallen members of the granite mountain hotshots on july a week after the tragedy wiped out his team. The lone survivor from the 20 man crew was 21 year old brendan mcdonough. On june 30 when the yarnell hill fire suddenly whipped 180 degrees around and cut off. On june 30 firefighters with the prescott fire department s interagency called the granite mountain hotshots were overrun and killed by the fire.

Richard brody on the new movie only the brave about the granite mountain hotshots a real life unit of heroic arizona firefighters and what the film doesn t include. Prescott fire chief dan fraijo later confirmed that all 19 were from the granite mountain hotshots. A year after the 19 granite mountain hotshots perished in arizona s yarnell hill fire brendan mcdonough sat on the side of the road opened his truck s glove compartment pulled out his 9mm and.