Viewpoint established for Yarnell Hill Fire fatality site

Yarnell Hill fatality site
A flagpole marks the Yarnell Hill fatality site — as seen from the new Granite Mountain Hotshots Overlook on Hwy 89 in Yarnell, AZ. The scene appears to have been photographed with a long telephoto lens, so the apparent distance between the flagpole and the structure is very deceiving. (click to enlarge)

A viewpoint has been established near highway 89 in Arizona from which the Yarnell Hill Fire fatality site can be seen. The Granite Mountain Hotshots were entrapped by the fire, and 19 firefighters on the 20-person crew were killed June 30, 2013.

More info from the AP:

The 15-mile stretch of Arizona highway that runs past where a wildfire killed 19 Prescott firefighters has reopened, and the entrapment site near Yarnell is visible from a new public overlook.

Drivers who stop at the site alongside Highway 89 near Yarnell will be able to see a flagpole in the distance that marks the site where the Granite Mountain Hotshots were trapped by a fire on June 30.

InciWeb has some additional information.

Below is a photo of the entrapment site that we published July 6.

Yarnell Hill Fire fatality site, Arizona, 2013. Prescott FD photo by Wade Ward.
The entrapment site on the Yarnell Hill Fire. The dozer line was punched in after the incident to facilitate the removal of the bodies, which were at the end of the line. The photo was taken by Wade Ward of the Prescott FD, and is used here with permission. (click to enlarge)

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Author: Bill Gabbert

After working full time in wildland fire for 33 years, he continues to learn, and strives to be a Student of Fire.

11 thoughts on “Viewpoint established for Yarnell Hill Fire fatality site”

  1. Given the LAT and Long listed above, there is NO WAY you can see that flag pole from 89. Looks to be 1.5 – 2 miles fron HWY 89. Any idea if they are allowing traffic to the site? Would like to go pay my respects.

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      1. Was not trying to stir anything up, nor make an inaccurate comment. Given the photo below your going to need good eye sight to see that!

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  2. Wow. Who decided to place this crew in that location? Wow.

    Can’t wait to read the final investigation report.

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  3. THE Doug Campbell of El Cariso? Hello from a long ago underling.

    As with other burnovers there is an irony in the whole affair. Perhaps it was a matter of minutes or maybe 1/2 hour or more for the crew to realize their predicament. And it was probably not until the final few minutes before deployment that intelligent recognition of their plight started coming into focus…. I mean, look at the terrain they probably already traversed in a non-panicked haste let alone the distance yet they needed to cover to reach their safe zone. Into the maw of the beast, the beauty of the all-powerful that confronted them. And then, maybe only a minute or two during and after deployment did reality finally strike home, “We’re gonna make it through this!”

    I prefer to believe that Granite Mountain “stood together” even when finally isolated from one another in their personal shelters…. that there was no recognition of friends, individual entities, departing. Each of the 19 lights faded into eternity as individuals yet they remain the Granite Mountain Hotshots. One being. One small spot on a map. A distant flag seen from a newly dedicated viewpoint.

    And the beast that devoured them? It awakened at the whim of the dynamics of our atmoshere and was gone in a flash.

    LR

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    1. I believe the location is here.
      Lat: 34.220392
      Long:-112.777690
      Rest in peace brothers.

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